Ahead of his side’s match against Lokomotiv Moscow, Rubin Kazan manager Leonid Slutsky has sang the praises of Lokomotiv Moscow’s Joao Mario.
The Portuguese national team attacking midfielder joined the Russian capital city club on a season long loan this past Summer with an option to buy set at €18 million.
“Lokomotiv are one of the best-equipped teams in the league. In my opinion, players such as Grzegorz Krychowiak and Joao Mario level embellish our league. There aren’t many players like them now, they really make a difference,” Slutsky explained in his pre-match press conference.
Euro 2016 winner Joao Mario joined Inter in the Summer of 2016 from Portuguese giants Sporting CP but very rarely managed to perform to expectations when representing the Nerazzurri.
He has made 69 appearances across all competitions to date for Inter, in which he has scored four goals and provided 13 assists for his teammates.
Whilst on loan at Lokomotiv Moscow, who are reportedly not going to sign him outright, Joao Mario has made 16 appearances across all competitions to date. In his time on the park, which totals just shy of 1400 minutes, he has scored one goal and tallied four assists.
