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Russia perceive English arrogance ahead of match

Russia have accused England of taking them lightly ahead of their Euro 2016 opener in Marseille.

Manager Leonid Slutsky and CSKA Moscow defender Vasili Berezutsky agreed that Roy Hodgson's side were insufficiently briefed on the Russia team.

Hodgson refused to name specific threats in the opposition side when invited during Friday's eve-of-match press conference, but has been planning meticulously for all three Group B rivals for several months.

His failure to talk in detail about Russia appeared to pique some of their media, and it was a theme Slutsky was happy to agree with.

"We know the England team, maybe they don't know us," he said.

"We are aware of that, but most important is what happens after the match."

Berezutsky, who played in the side that beat England in Moscow during Steve McClaren's ill-fated Euro 2008 qualification campaign, picked up the theme.

He added: "I'm not bothered if they don't know us. We don't have many players playing (elsewhere in) Europe so if they don't know us that's not a problem.

"I hope after the match they will know some of our names."

Hodgson's own words on the subject were far less inflammatory

"I think I and the team know them well enough," he said.

"We know who they are, their names and we have some idea of their qualities. We have a lot of respect for the Russian team.

"But I have no wish to either praise or criticise any Russian player because it might come back to haunt you in the game itself."

Berezutsky was less diplomatic when it came to England's new mascot, a stuffed lion that has travelled to France with the side under Chris Smalling's stewardship.

Asked for his thoughts on the toy, Berezutsky offered a stern glance and withering words.

"I don't like things like that, mascots. It is not my kind of thing," he said.

"(Injured midfielder) Yuri Zhirkov is our mascot. Our squad is our mascot, we have 23 of them."

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