Fedun: In four years Spartak will rival Chelsea
Spartak Moscow boss Leonid Fedun says in four years his club will be bigger than Chelsea, owned by fellow Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
"My plan is that by the end of 2015 Spartak would become self-sufficient," Fedun told Reuters.
"What's the difference between Spartak and Chelsea? Well, Spartak are a legend of Russian and Soviet sport while Chelsea, if I'm not mistaken, don't come even close to our achievements."
Spartak are Russia's most successful and popular club, winning nine league titles between 1992-2001.
Chelsea have won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two League Cups and also reached the 2008 Champions League final since Abramovich bought the West London club in 2003.
"The fact is that Abramovich has spent a lot more money on his club and of course income you get from the Premier League is totally at a different level," said Fedun, who like Abramovich has made his fortune in oil.
"But in a few years Spartak's income would be comparable with that of Chelsea and then we'll see who is a bigger club."
Abramovich is listed at number nine by Forbes magazine among Russian oligarchs with the fortune of $13.4 billion while Fedun is 23rd with $7.1 billion.
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Russian steel magnate Alisher Usmanov, who owns around 30 percent of London club Arsenal, is fifth with $17.7 billion while the owner of Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala Suleiman Kerimov is 19th with $7.8 billion.