Russia are currently preparing for their round of 16 match against Group B winners Spain that will be played at Moscow's 78,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.

"We are not afraid of Spain. We faced them not so long ago, we are preparing, we feel strong. We focus on the opponents' strengths, we are getting ready for the match in terms of our tactics," Yerokhin told journalists.

The 28-year-old, who missed several training sessions due to a minor foot problem, said that he had recovered and was ready for the game.

Russia will be playing in the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time, after failing to qualify from the group in their three previous attempts.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.