Once the home of some of the greatest players the world has ever seen and certainly some of the best paid, Anzhi Makhachkala have become obsolete after losing their licence to play in the Russian Leagues.
In 2011, Anzhi acquired a number of star players including Lassana Diarra, Willian and Roberto Carlos, but none larger than Samuel Eto’o. At the time, he became the highest paid player in the world, earning a reported £8.7m per year according to the BBC. Just over a decade later they have been unable to secure a licence due to their significant debts.
Previously owned by Suleyman Kerimov, he invested hundreds of millions into the club located in the Dagestan region, on the edge of the Caspian Sea and close to Georgia. After his sale of the club in 2017 to Osman Kadiyev signalled a downward spiral for the club, which has resulted in licensing disputes with the Russian Football Federation over the large debts at the club.
FourFourTwo also explained that the club had put out a statement apologising to fans and promising to be back soon. The RFF finally rejected their appeal to gain a licence to play in the Russian third division next season and bringing to a close one of the most fleeting ascents and descents in recent history.
