Denisov should visit locker room: Spalletti

Moscow - An appearance in the Zenit dressing room from Igor Denisov would be welcomed ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League football clash with Anderlecht, coach Luciano Spalletti said.

The midfielder has been frozen out of the first team at the Petrovsky Stadium since a public spat with the club’s management over the high salaries of new arrivals Hulk and Axel Witsel last month.

But Spalletti insists he is not a forgotten man at the club.

“If Igor Denisov showed up in the dressing room to support his teammates, this gesture would be warmly welcomed by the coaching staff and the whole team,” Spalletti said.

“It would be very nice. That hasn’t happened in the last few matches.”

The Denisov scandal hit in the midst of a bad run of form for the reigning champions, and the player, the captain of Fabio Capello’s Russia side, was blamed for exacerbating it.

“We haven’t had the best times of our lives,” Spalletti said. “But I see the situation is being gradually resolved. I’ve recently noticed the kind of behaviour in our players that can bring decent results for the team.”

Denisov has missed four games for his club since allegedly issuing a pay rise ultimatum ahead of a cup tie Sep 25.

Zenit need a win against the Belgians Wednesday to kickstart their Champions League campaign after defeats in their opening two matches.