Russian footballers splash £200k on Champagne

Two Russian national footballers have been disciplined by their home clubs after they were caught on camera splashing £200,000 on 500 bottles of Armand de Brignac Champagne at a Monte Carlo club.

Credit: Twiga/Facebook

A video of footballers Alexander Kokorin and Pavel Mamayev has emerged showing the pair enjoying a lavish night out at Twiga in Monte Carlo, during which 500 bottles of Champagne were paraded to their table to the sound of the Russian national anthem.

According to Rus Monaco magazine, whose editor was at the party according to Sky News, Kokorin and Mamayev spent £213,000 on Armand de Brignac’s “Ace of Spades” – a Champagne brand owned by Jay-Z.

The Russian team drew 1-1 with England, which was the only match they didn’t lose during Euro 2016. forcing them out of the tournament at the group stages.

UEFA handed Russia a £118,000 fine following violence at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille after that game.

Fans commenting online said the lavish celebrations had been inappropriate given Russia’s poor performance at Euro 2016.

Mamaev’s club, FC Krasnodar, has already issued a statement slamming the midfielder’s behaviour as “outrageous and unacceptable”. He has been demoted to the youth team of FC Krasnodar and will also receive a fine.

Kokorin, who plays as a forward for Zenit St Petersburg, has been sent to train with the reserve side. Kokorin, speaking to Russia’s Tass agency, defended his actions stating that he hadn’t ordered the Champagne and that he and Mamaev were simply present at someone else’s birthday celebrations.

Video credit: facebook.com/rusmonaco