Robert Moreno sacked by FC Sochi after allegedly relying on ChatGPT for team decisions

January 25, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Robert Moreno sacked by FC Sochi after allegedly relying on ChatGPT for team decisions

Former Spain coach Robert Moreno was reportedly dismissed by Russian side FC Sochi after allegedly leaning heavily on ChatGPT to shape training schedules, match preparation and even transfer decisions.

Moreno, 48, left the club last September following a dismal run of form that saw Sochi collect just one point from seven matches in the Russian First League.

His spell in charge came after the club had already been relegated from the Russian Premier League.

AI-planned schedule raised eyebrows

Claims about Moreno's use of artificial intelligence emerged in an interview given by Sochi's former sporting director Andrei Orlov to Sports Russia.

Orlov alleged that the Spanish coach relied on ChatGPT to organise the team's logistics ahead of an away fixture in Khabarovsk, one of the longest trips in Russian football.

According to Orlov, the AI-generated plan included:

A 7am training session two days before the match
Players being required to remain awake for a reported 28-hour stretch

Orlov said he questioned the plan after seeing a presentation Moreno had prepared.

I looked at the presentation: it showed that the players weren't supposed to sleep for 28 hours.

I asked, "Robert, that's all great, but when are the guys going to sleep?"

They [the players] didn't understand why we had to wake up at five in the morning and train at seven.

Orlov also noted that Moreno allegedly did not consult defender Oleg Kozhemyakin, who had previously played for Khabarovsk and was familiar with local conditions.

ChatGPT used in transfer decision

Orlov further alleged that Moreno used ChatGPT as part of the club's striker recruitment process last summer.

Last summer, we were looking for a striker, choosing between Vladimir Pisarsky, Pavel Meleshin and Artur Shushenachev.

Moreno entered the data of Pisarsky, Meleshin, and Shushenachev from Wyscout into ChatGPT. Shushenachev emerged as the best according to GPT.

Sochi went on to sign Shushenachev, who failed to score in 10 appearances.

Dressing room discontent

Orlov suggested morale in the squad declined during Moreno's tenure, claiming both Russian and foreign players grew uncertain about his methods.

He also alleged that Moreno's relationship with assistants and players became strained.

Supporters had already criticised Moreno's tactical approach, particularly his strong focus on possession-based football without consistent attacking output.

Set-piece preparation was also said to have received limited emphasis.

Moreno's career before Sochi

Moreno previously stepped into the Spain job on an interim basis in 2019 before being appointed permanently following Luis Enrique's resignation due to family illness.

Spain went unbeaten in nine matches under Moreno, winning seven.

However, he later stepped down before Euro 2020, with Enrique returning to the role.

Their relationship publicly deteriorated, with Enrique later describing Moreno as "disloyal" and "over-ambitious" in media comments.

AI in football: tool or risk?

The situation highlights growing debate around the use of artificial intelligence in football coaching.

Data analytics and AI tools are increasingly common across elite clubs, but experts stress they are meant to support, not replace, human judgement.

Whilst Moreno has not publicly addressed the specific claims, the episode - if accurate - raises questions about how far clubs should go in integrating generative AI into decision-making at the professional level.

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