US Edition As 10,000 Zenit St Petersburg fans prepare to head to Manchester for the Uefa Cup final against Rangers on Wednesday week, the club's manager has accused supporters of racism.
Up to 10,000 Zenit fans are set to apply for visas for the final in the City of Manchester Stadium on May 14, with the British consulate in St Petersburg making clear they will streamline red tape to enable fans to travel without problems.
But Dick Advocaat has revealed in a Russian interview that he was unable to recruit Brazilian players because the first question Zenit fans asked when a signing was imminent was: "Is he black?"
The former Holland boss added that he would have to ask his fan's permission before buying a black player - and that they were unlikely to give it.
"I would be happy to sign anyone, but the fans don't like black players," he revealed. "Quite honestly, I do not understand how they could pay so much attention to skin colour.
"Frankly, the only players who can make Zenit stronger are dark skinned. But for us it would be impossible."
Zenit, whose No 1 fan is President elect Dmitry Medvedev, who takes office in the Kremlin on Wednesday, are the only club in Russia not to have had a black player.
When Advocaat, a former Rangers manager, tried to sign Frenchman Mathieu Valbuena recently, the first question on fans websites was: "Is he a negro?"
The manager said: "The fans are the most important thing that Zenit have. That's why I have to ask them outright how they'll react if we sign a dark skinned player for Zenit.
"At least two times a year we meet with the fans. I hope we'll have an opportunity to talk to them about this racist issue soon.
Zenit supporters have been accused of racism several times in recent months.
In March some of Olympique Marseille's black players complained that Zenit fans made monkey noises and hurled banana skins at them during their Uefa Cup tie.
In November, Cameroon midfielder Serge Branco, who played in the Russian League for Krylia Sovetov Samara last year, said: "Each time I play in St Petersburg I have to listen to racist insults from the stands.
"Zenit bosses do not do anything about it which makes me think they are racists too."