LOKOMOTIV MIDFIELDER DMITRY Tarasov on Tuesday stoked tensions after a Europa League clash between the Moscow club and Turkish giants Fenerbahce by revealing a T-shirt praising President Vladimir Putin underneath his club strip.
The first-leg clash in the round of 32 of the Europa League was the most significant sporting encounter involving the two countries since Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian plane on the Syrian border on 24 November caused a diplomatic crisis unprecedented since the Cold War.
To the joy of home fans, Fenerbahce won the match 2-0 but the attention of the Turkish media focussed on the behaviour of Tarasov after the final whistle.
He stripped off his Lokomotiv shirt to reveal a picture of Putin in military gear with the slogan “the most polite president”.
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