Former president of Lokomotiv names the favorite in the Uzbekistan vs. Russia match

11 November 2026, 09:262 min read6

Ilya Gerkus, the former president of Moscow's Lokomotiv and a well-known Russian football official, shared his observations ahead of the high-profile friendly match between the national teams of Uzbekistan and Russia, scheduled for November 12 in Tashkent. In an exclusive interview with the "Euro-Football" publication, while acknowledging the experience the hosts recently gained at the World Cup, he expressed a firm stance on who holds the primary advantage in the upcoming clash.

"It is interesting to see a team that participated in the World Cup, but Russia is the favorite"

Speaking about the Russian national team's November schedule, Gerkus noted that the match in Tashkent holds much more interest for him than the game against Venezuela:

"I will definitely watch the game against Uzbekistan, but I haven't decided yet regarding the match against Venezuela, and I don't know if I will watch it. As for our first away game, Uzbekistan participated in the World Cup held in the USA this summer. This alone shows that the team has gained some experience, so it is extremely interesting to watch their game."

At the same time, when asked by the official, "Can Uzbekistan defeat Russia?", he did not hide his belief in his own national team's superiority:

"Anything can happen in football. But I still think we are stronger. It would be correct to say that we go into the game as favorites."

Parameter / Aspect	Ilya Gerkus's views and assessment
Hero	Ilya Gerkus (Former president of Lokomotiv Moscow)
Assessment of the opponent	Uzbekistan gained great experience through the 2026 World Cup in the USA
Interest in the game	Will watch the game in Tashkent, remained uncertain about the match against Venezuela
Main favorite	Russian national team ("We are still stronger")
Match time and stadium	November 12, Thursday — 20:00, Pakhtakor Central Stadium
Source	"Euro-Football" publication

"The Russian side is coming to Tashkent with the status of a favorite, but underestimating an opponent that has breathed the air of the World Cup and will play in front of its own fans in a sold-out stadium could prove costly."

Polarized experts in Moscow: Who will be proven right?

Gerkus's confident statement is in direct contrast to the opinions previously expressed by Valery Nepomnyashchy, the former head coach of the Uzbekistan national team. It is worth recalling that Nepomnyashchy, taking into account squad issues and the potential of legionnaires, had stated that the only true favorite of the meeting in Tashkent is Uzbekistan itself.

The clash taking place on the evening of November 12 at the 35,000-seat Pakhtakor arena will show which of these two different views is closer to reality.

In your opinion, how justified is Ilya Gerkus's claim that "Russia is still stronger and the favorite"? Who will have the advantage in the Tashkent match? Leave your opinion in the comments!