The reason for Moreno's resignation was a disastrous season, during which the team suffered six defeats in seven Russian Premier League matches and lost twice in the Russian Cup. Sochi president Boris Rotenberg said that the Spanish coach had failed to accomplish the task at hand. In his opinion, Moreno built the team's play as if he had Barcelona-level players at his disposal, whereas in Russia, a different coaching approach is required for each athlete individually. “I believe that we will see changes on the field, on the scoreboard, and in the standings,” Sport-Express quoted Rotenberg as saying.
Robert Moreno, 47, took charge of Sochi in December 2023. Under his leadership, the team left the RPL but managed to return to the top division after one season. Moreno previously worked as an assistant at Barcelona, Roma, and Celta, and in 2019 he headed the Spanish national team.
The new coach of Sochi, Igor Osinkin, is 60 years old. Until recently, he managed Krylia Sovetov in Samara, which he left in May this year after almost five years of service. With the Samara club, he won the First League in the 2020/21 season and reached the final of the Russian Cup.