Robert Moreno breaks silence on ChatGPT claims after Sochi exit

Nii Ayitey Brown 15:05 - 26 January 2026

Former Spain coach Robert Moreno denies claims that he used ChatGPT to run FC Sochi, calling the accusations false after his controversial exit from the Russian club.

Former Spain head coach Robert Moreno has spoken out to firmly deny allegations that he relied on artificial intelligence to run FC Sochi, describing recent claims about his use of ChatGPT as “false and misleading” following his turbulent spell in Russian football.

Moreno, 48, left FC Sochi in September 2025 after a difficult run of results that saw the club struggle near the bottom of the Russian Premier League. While his departure was initially blamed on poor performances, fresh reports from former club officials have since painted a far more unusual picture, one that Moreno says simply isn’t true.

The controversy began after ex-Sochi sporting director Andrei Orlov claimed that Moreno leaned heavily on ChatGPT for major decisions, including training schedules, travel logistics, tactics and even transfer recommendations.

One of the most eye-catching accusations involved a long away trip to Khabarovsk, where an AI-generated plan allegedly suggested players remain awake for 28 hours before a match. Staff were reportedly stunned by the itinerary, questioning how it could possibly support player recovery or performance.

There were also claims that Moreno used ChatGPT to assess striker options during the transfer window, eventually signing Artur Shushenachev based on the chatbot’s recommendation. The forward failed to score in 10 appearances, which only added fuel to the criticism surrounding Moreno’s methods.

In an interview with Spanish outlet AS, Moreno categorically rejected the idea that artificial intelligence ever dictated his football decisions. Moreno said:

I have never used ChatGPT or any AI to prepare matches, decide lineups, or choose players. That is completely false. The only thing I used it for occasionally was translating from Russian to Spanish, because I don’t speak fluent Russian.

The former Spain boss stressed that all sporting decisions at Sochi were made collaboratively, involving his coaching staff, analysts and club directors, not a chatbot. He added:

Like any modern coaching staff, we used analysis tools and data platforms. But football decisions are human decisions. They always were

Moreno also suggested that the accusations may stem from internal disagreements with club officials before his exit and noted that FC Sochi have never released an official statement confirming the claims now circulating in the media.Moreno’s time at Sochi was already difficult.

The club struggled for consistency, results were poor, and confidence inside the dressing room reportedly dipped as the season wore on.

The Spaniard, who previously worked as an assistant to Luis Enrique at Barcelona, Roma and the Spanish national team, and briefly led Spain’s senior side in 2019 says it is frustrating to see his professional reputation linked to what he calls a distorted narrative.

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