All foreign football players and members of the coaching staff of the Russian Premier League (RPL) football clubs have returned to Russia before the restart of the league’s suspended season this summer, the RPL press service announced on Tuesday.

Axar.az reports citing Russian media.

"We have completed the first and the very important stage of our Road Map on the resumption of the championship as all legionnaires and foreign specialists, who had to return to our country, are back with us again," RPL President Sergei Pryadkin was quoted as saying in the statement.

"This was important not only from the stance of the resumption of the currently suspended season, but also in view of the upcoming season," he added.

Russian Sport Minister Oleg Matytsin said late last month that the Russian ministry would render its assistance in the return of foreign footballers and specialists working in Russian football clubs as soon as a relevant document was approved.