They will lose – they will leave the race.
The third competitor has dropped out.
The upcoming match is quite attractive for its decisive status – it could pre-determine the season for Zenit and Krasnodar. For a complete picture of the championship race, it’s worth mentioning the result of Friday’s match: Spartak Moscow beat Dynamo Makhachkala at home. The Red and Whites had previously beaten Zenit at home, and the St. Petersburgers then split the Loko Cup, so it was the Muscovites who came closest to Krasnodar, but still trailed by five points.
Zelkovich’s team was defeated yesterday. In the first half, the Muscovites simply weren’t visible, and 30 minutes of active play in the second wasn’t enough even for a draw. Now the Bulls are close to the decisive stage. The rivals are five points behind, with a win that could take them out of both eights. This is the most important week for Murad Musaev’s team.
Zenit is walking the edge
As already discussed above, Zenit is actively flirting with championship intrigue. Now, things are even worse than last season. Then, St. Petersburgers also stumbled, but the rivals lacked the strength and experience to use it. Now, Krasnodar is a dangerous, cold-blooded opponent, and third in the race is Spartak, who aims to fight much harder than the blue and white.
It’s no surprise that the 24th round of the “blue, white, and blue” is just the others. In the spring, the services of Sergei Semak have already fallen at home with CSKA (0:0), visiting Spartak (1:2) and Lokomotiv (1:1). It was fortunate that the Muscovites were also unstable – but Krasnodar doesn’t allow itself the luxury of failure.
Petersburgers themselves have found themselves in a situation where, in connection with the match against the “Bulls”, there is no chance of getting out of the lead – but simply of staying in that race.
Semak is looking for a bunch of new players and azmun
It’s not just that Petersburgers are playing cautiously with potential and direct competitors – these are teams that have something to contrast with the class of St. Petersburg. As soon as the latter comes up against an organized rival, difficulties begin. Zenit is seriously lacking in dynamics and balance of combinations.
Semak is always looking for chemistry in the attacking group – and this is already similar to the starting lineup. Against CSKA And Lokomotiv released a couple of Kascerra-Tonde, Lusiano played against the “Torch” on the striker’s front foot, Kascerra came out with Spartak, Sobolev released Sobolev (at the time, the striker hadn’t scored a single goal).
Mateo simply didn’t find mutual understanding with the Argentine. Both are good in a wipeout, but they need a pair of players. In a group, the strikers frightened teammates more than an opponent. Sobolev could well become a decision – only Alexander hasn’t established himself at all during his Zenit career. There are serious doubts he’ll stay with the team, as the player’s advantages are at least minimal. So far, the problem simply hasn’t been resolved.
There are championships in the “Bulls” game.
It’s hard to accept such a championship race. Logically, the title should be worthy—a team that squeezes its rivals under the class, earning points even if the game isn’t going well. So much so that even the rivals fear their rivals. However, a year ago, things were much worse. Then, there wasn’t such a contender at all. Krasnodar itself got out of the race, replacing Ivich with Musaev, Zenit was already in crisis, and Dynamo showed the qualities necessary for a successful game—but lost them in a decisive game.
Now, it’s easier to determine the favorite, and no matter how paradoxical it may seem, Krasnodar, more than anyone, reads championship habits. Zenit and Spartak didn’t spare the money to strengthen. The former was much more raw—they have enormous experience and a strong backbone. The latter had a faltering chance and decided to take a chance this season. St. Petersburgers are plagued by the same problems, the lack of experience between the Red and Whites. And both teams are completely unstable. Krasnodar spent less, as the club is much younger and doesn’t have much influence on the market – and in contrast, the Bulls look more like champions.
After a draw with Wings – four consecutive wins, Zero failed. Without a tailspin – a victory over Rostov, without Cordoba – a 5-0 win with a torch. After that, all talk is pointless.
There is one detail that confuses
Krasnodar is now in great shape, but there are serious concerns about the end of the season. The fact is that the team with a short bench has won – Musaev has found a lineup he fully trusts. The changes in him are minimal – and mainly because there are simply no comparable replacements for players. At this time, the southerners have almost no injuries, the losses of batteries and ropes-robes that have occurred – only for one match. And now the logical question is – what will happen to the team with a weak rotation, if one of the leaders starts or flies for a long time?
In St. Petersburg, the “Bulls” are not winning
In the first circle, Krasnodar has already overtaken Zenit. They did this for the first time in 14 matches. For the first time since 2018. By the way, the last victory of the Bulls’ guests was in the same match. After that – six matches in St. Petersburg and three draws.
Forecast Football.RU: The “city dwellers” are much more convincing, but “Zenith” is pressed against the wall, and at such moments, their championship experience shines through. It will be a tough match, and neither team will be able to determine the winner.
About the Author
