The current leader of the Russian championship is gearing up for a tough battle against one of the wealthiest and most decorated clubs of the 21st century. There`s a strong possibility that any misstep they make could be seized upon by several close contenders, with «Lokomotiv» having a chance to reclaim the top spot, even if temporarily.
If «Lokomotiv» manages to defeat a formidable, yet often favorable, opponent from Makhachkala away from home, they will climb to first place for at least 24 hours. This would be due to their head-to-head advantage (as per regulations) over «Krasnodar,» who are set to host «Zenit» on Sunday evening with a depleted squad.
«Krasnodar» faces significant personnel challenges, with roughly a third of their key players sidelined with injuries or uncertain to play. The team will also be without the suspended Diego Costa. However, the return of Cordoba offers newcomer Perren an opportunity to showcase his unconventional playmaking skills. The French player is still working his way back to peak form, and many remain skeptical about the wisdom of his transfer, particularly given the anticipated departure of Spertsyan.
Konstantin Kalutsky, author of the «Football with Kalutsky» YouTube and Telegram channels, offers his perspective:
«Firstly, Spertsyan hasn`t moved anywhere yet. Secondly, Perren`s primary position is still that of a right winger. `Krasnodar` has essentially signed a star – the best assistant in French Ligue 1 – and this area has long been a problem for the club. In my opinion, they already have Russia`s best striker in Cordoba, and the best playmaker in Edik Spertsyan. As for the wingers like Batchi, Sa, Moses, and others – they are good players, but not exceptional. Another possibility is that the club will transition to a new tactical formation. In that scenario, if Edik departs, `Krasnodar` might not replace Spertsyan directly but instead eliminate the attacking midfielder position altogether within the new setup, switching to a 4-3-3 formation.»
Five months ago, in their last direct encounter, «Zenit» decisively defeated «Krasnodar» 4-1, narrowing the gap to the eventual champions by two points. Now, «Zenit» has a chance to reduce the deficit to three points. However, any victory they achieve this time would be considered an upset. Should «Krasnodar» falter, «Baltika» could also catch up, a team that has already delivered a significant surprise.
The Kaliningrad club has matched the record for Russian championship newcomers, set by Saratov`s «Sokol» in 2001, by remaining undefeated in their first eight matches. Interestingly, in their ninth match, «Sokol» suffered a crushing 2-6 defeat to «Torpedo.» Now, «Baltika» only needs to avoid a home loss against «Rostov» to make history, although after their impressive performance against «Zenit» in the previous round, the Kaliningrad team clearly aims for more.
«Baltika» head coach Andrey Talalaev commented:
«Given the football we`re showing and our ambitions after the match against `Zenit,` we`re left with a feeling of dissatisfaction. We want more. A year ago, our team was in sixth place in the First League, and we looked ahead with hope. Now, after this game with `Zenit,` we look forward with confidence in our abilities, confident that we can play football and stand up to the giants. We can say that we created more scoring chances than `Zenit,` but we need to convert them. We`re lacking a bit of skill. But I hope that the upcoming game against CSKA will give us another opportunity to become `tougher` and more confident.»
Kaliningrad`s league match against CSKA is scheduled for next week, but their cup encounter took place last Thursday, September 18th. In the post-match penalty shootout, Talalaev`s team proved to be stronger. Thus, the second-place position of the «Rostec Arena» hosts no longer comes as a surprise. The only exception would be if «Rostov» manages to secure a second consecutive upset; after all, it was they who inflicted CSKA`s first RPL defeat in 22 matches on September 14th, ending their record-breaking unbeaten streak.
Current League Standings:
Krasnodar — 19 points
Baltika — 16 points
Lokomotiv — 16 points
CSKA — 15 points
Rubin — 14 points
Zenit — 13 points
Spartak — 12 points (Coach Stankovic suspended for one month in both league and cup)
Dynamo — 9 points (9th position)
The federal sports broadcaster «Match TV» will provide live coverage of two out of the eight matches in the ninth round. On Saturday, they will show the clash in Kaspiysk between «Dynamo Makhachkala» and «Lokomotiv,» and on Sunday, the central fixture of the football weekend: «Krasnodar» versus «Zenit.»
