The second round of the Russian Premier League features key clashes that could determine the sole leader of the table. Meanwhile, Dynamo and CSKA face ongoing challenges, including injuries, squad changes, and early season dropped points.
The second round of the Russian championship promises to clarify the top spot, featuring battles among leading contenders and raising questions for Dynamo and CSKA. The round kicked off on Friday with a Volga derby, where Krylia Sovetov defeated Pari Nizhny Novgorod 2-0 at home.
While Krylia Sovetov currently sit at the top with four points, this is temporary, as their closest rivals have only played one match. Five teams began the season with wins, but after the second round, a maximum of three will maintain perfect records. This is because two current leaders, Lokomotiv and Krasnodar, will face each other on Saturday. Zenit and Rubin will also go head-to-head on Sunday. For Zenit`s coaching staff, the situation is challenging; after missing out on the championship title last season, they must contend with public criticism and justify every tactical decision.
For instance, their tactical approach involves pairing Barrios and Douglas Santos in the defensive midfield, while accelerating play through wide defenders Vega and Mantuan, despite the latter typically being a midfielder. Zenit`s head coach, Sergei Semak, offered an explanation:
“On the contrary, given the situation in the center… Who else would we put higher up? Another attacking player? Who would we put in the central midfield trio if we’re talking about a 4-3-3 formation? We’d probably rather use the attacking Vega as a fast player than a central midfielder, instead of Douglas or someone else. Especially since we played well in midfield against Sion and Vojvodina. As for the wide players – of course, we understand that both Vega and Mantuan are attacking players. Mantuan has even been re-qualified as a defender. But it doesn’t always work out the way we would like.”
Can Zenit cope with Rubin, especially in Kazan? In my opinion, no. Rakhimov`s team showed more quality football a week ago, though their opponent was easier: Akhmat, not Rostov.
One of the teams from the Ak Bars Arena clash might be overtaken by the two disappointments of the first round – CSKA and Dynamo. Both clubs dropped unexpected points against Orenburg and Baltika, respectively. Dynamo, in particular, is severely hampered by squad issues, with seven key players currently sidelined. Dmitry Derunets, a Match Premier host, Dynamo expert, and passionate fan, commented:
“Well, speaking of which, let’s count Dynamo’s injured players right now. Tyukavin – long-term. Maistorovich – almost a year. Arthur – out for a long time. Chavez – until next year. Laxalt wasn’t there. Carrascal watched from the stands. And probably Maukhoub.”
The only player on that list not injured is Carrascal, but the Colombian is on the verge of signing with Flamengo. To avoid injury, he`s watching matches from the stands. His Dynamo teammates will face their new coach Karpin’s former team, Rostov, on July 26. Meanwhile, CSKA will host Akhmat at VEB Arena on Sunday. Their last encounter in Grozny in May ended in a 1-1 draw. Finally, Spartak, who endured four disallowed goals against Makhachkala, will aim to overcome Baltika’s resistance in Moscow on Saturday.
The league table is straightforward: Krylia Sovetov have four points from two matches, while Krasnodar, Lokomotiv, Rubin, Zenit, and Spartak all have three points, having maintained perfect records so far. The federal broadcaster Match TV will broadcast two of the eight matches this round: the clash of leaders Krasnodar vs. Lokomotiv on Saturday, and the match featuring the vice-champion Rubin vs. Zenit on Sunday.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth