Russia Football Season 2016-17
Why are CSKA playing their first five league games away instead of using Arena Khimki? Do they expect the new Arena CSKA to be completed on MD6?
Yes, it's the reason. The stadium is already completed. On Tuesday there will be a meeting with supporters.
Rubin-Anzhi 1-2
Ufa-Terek 1-3
Zenit-Cska 1-1
Rostov-Tom 3-0
Amkar-Ural 1-0
Spartak-Krasnodar 2-0
Loko-Krylya 0-0
Arsenal-Orenburg 0-0 with 84 min.
Spartak leading the table with the italian Carrera as head coach.
Ufa-Terek 1-3
Zenit-Cska 1-1
Rostov-Tom 3-0
Amkar-Ural 1-0
Spartak-Krasnodar 2-0
Loko-Krylya 0-0
Arsenal-Orenburg 0-0 with 84 min.
Spartak leading the table with the italian Carrera as head coach.
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bugylibicska
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The Berdyev Saga and internal reluctance
Nevertheless, the coach is gone, so what do Spartak do next? They target Kurban Berdyev, the Turkmen coach who led Rubin Kazan to two championships in the last decade and lastly FC Rostov to silver last season. Spartak had already targeted Berdyev in 2015, and last season he was linked with the Red-Whites when they were in difficult times. He was often reported to have held talks with the Spartak leaders, which is why he seemed like the obvious choice to replace Alenichev. Soon after the dismissal it was reported that Berdyev could earn €3.5m per year at Spartak on a two-year contract with the option of a third year.
That Berdyev had been unhappy at Rostov ever since the end of last season made the move even more likely. After a great domestic campaign and qualification for the Champions League, Berdyev was seeking financial guarantees from club patron Ivan Savvidis. However, things were far from simple on the Don, and Berdyev decided to leave Rostov after just a year and a half.
But things take time, and considering Spartak’s enormous supporter base all over Russia, it was no surprise that the media were fighting each other over who could announce the finalizing of the deal first. Every day various media announced that Berdyev to Spartak was a done deal, or close to being it, but the reality turned out to be different.
Spartak never reached an agreement with the Turkmen, and the problem was that the Red-White envoy weren’t in a position to demand anything. Berdyev on the other hand is an experienced coach, who knew exactly what he wanted, and needed, to take over Spartak and get them back to the top: 1) a transfer budget of €100m over the next two years, 2) full control over all transfers, and 3) bringing his own staff to the Otkritie Arena.
Berdyev has been used to having almost absolute control over his clubs, but Spartak weren’t ready to give him that kind of responsibility. On the popular Russian sports site Sports.ru, Spartak supporter Amir brilliantly outlined the structure of the Muscovite club in the 13 years Fedun has owned it in a series of articles. Since taking control, Fedun has favoured members of his family, perfectly exemplified by the fact that his brother Andrei is a member of the executive committee despite knowing very little about football, and he is unfortunately not the only one with a lack of knowledge. The many questionable administration members have contributed to a poor and inefficient structure at the club, and it is unfortunately therefore not surprising that no one was ready to give up their power. However, it is odd that the Spartak leaders even approached Berdyev, considering his demands shouldn’t be a surprise given his work at both Rostov and Rubin.
Since quitting his job at Rostov, Berdyev have returned to the city in the Southern Russia, where he is now working at a consultant, and he could even end up at Spartak’s fierce rivals Lokomotiv.
Nevertheless, the coach is gone, so what do Spartak do next? They target Kurban Berdyev, the Turkmen coach who led Rubin Kazan to two championships in the last decade and lastly FC Rostov to silver last season. Spartak had already targeted Berdyev in 2015, and last season he was linked with the Red-Whites when they were in difficult times. He was often reported to have held talks with the Spartak leaders, which is why he seemed like the obvious choice to replace Alenichev. Soon after the dismissal it was reported that Berdyev could earn €3.5m per year at Spartak on a two-year contract with the option of a third year.
That Berdyev had been unhappy at Rostov ever since the end of last season made the move even more likely. After a great domestic campaign and qualification for the Champions League, Berdyev was seeking financial guarantees from club patron Ivan Savvidis. However, things were far from simple on the Don, and Berdyev decided to leave Rostov after just a year and a half.
But things take time, and considering Spartak’s enormous supporter base all over Russia, it was no surprise that the media were fighting each other over who could announce the finalizing of the deal first. Every day various media announced that Berdyev to Spartak was a done deal, or close to being it, but the reality turned out to be different.
Spartak never reached an agreement with the Turkmen, and the problem was that the Red-White envoy weren’t in a position to demand anything. Berdyev on the other hand is an experienced coach, who knew exactly what he wanted, and needed, to take over Spartak and get them back to the top: 1) a transfer budget of €100m over the next two years, 2) full control over all transfers, and 3) bringing his own staff to the Otkritie Arena.
Berdyev has been used to having almost absolute control over his clubs, but Spartak weren’t ready to give him that kind of responsibility. On the popular Russian sports site Sports.ru, Spartak supporter Amir brilliantly outlined the structure of the Muscovite club in the 13 years Fedun has owned it in a series of articles. Since taking control, Fedun has favoured members of his family, perfectly exemplified by the fact that his brother Andrei is a member of the executive committee despite knowing very little about football, and he is unfortunately not the only one with a lack of knowledge. The many questionable administration members have contributed to a poor and inefficient structure at the club, and it is unfortunately therefore not surprising that no one was ready to give up their power. However, it is odd that the Spartak leaders even approached Berdyev, considering his demands shouldn’t be a surprise given his work at both Rostov and Rubin.
Since quitting his job at Rostov, Berdyev have returned to the city in the Southern Russia, where he is now working at a consultant, and he could even end up at Spartak’s fierce rivals Lokomotiv.
Krylia Sovetov 0-1 Ufa
Orenburg 1-1 Rubin(straight way to the relegation zone for both teams)
Tom 0-1 CSKA(CSKA took another hard three points)
Zenit 3-0 Amkar(zero shots by Amkar at all)
Ural 1-1 Arsenal
Krasnodar 1-2 Lokomotiv(Syomin with Loko again)
Terek 2-1 Rostov(Rostov prefer playing with 10 men. Gatskan was sent off second time per season)
Anji 0-2 Spartak
Orenburg 1-1 Rubin(straight way to the relegation zone for both teams)
Tom 0-1 CSKA(CSKA took another hard three points)
Zenit 3-0 Amkar(zero shots by Amkar at all)
Ural 1-1 Arsenal
Krasnodar 1-2 Lokomotiv(Syomin with Loko again)
Terek 2-1 Rostov(Rostov prefer playing with 10 men. Gatskan was sent off second time per season)
Anji 0-2 Spartak
Code: Select all
1.Spartak 13 9.Lokomotiv 7
2.CSKA 11 10.Ural 5
3.Terek 10 11.Arsenal 5
4.Zenit 9 12.Ufa 4
5.Amkar 8 13.Tom 4
6.Krasnodar 7 14.Rubin 3
7.Rostov 7 15.Orenburg 3
8.Anji 7 16.Kr.Sovetov 2
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bugylibicska
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What is to come from Russia in Europe this season?
SEPTEMBER 3, 2016 BY LUKAS MÜLLER
Russian teams always seem to do well in Europe. Over the years, the Russian coefficient has risen nicely, and in August this year, Russia overtook Portugal in the UEFA rankings for club competitions, making it the sixth strongest in Europe. Even though Russia only have four teams in the group stages of the Champions League and the Europa League, compared to five last season, all four of them look ready to compete on an international level. I will go through the chance of success for the various Russian outfits this season.
UEFA Champions League: FC Rostov and CSKA Moscow
Group E:
CSKA Moscow
Bayer Leverkusen
Tottenham
Monaco
As usual, CSKA find themselves in a very tough group. This time however, it is also a very evenly-matched group as there are no major favourites this time. Therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised to see CSKA slip through to the knockout rounds. But with that said they are the weakest team on paper, and their domestic start to the season doesn’t fill me with confidence that they can shove teams like Tottenham and Leverkusen under them in the final standings.
CSKA’s biggest issue is their weak attack. They have problems scoring against bottom-ranked Russian League teams right now, and even though their defence is good enough to withstand the average Russian teams, it won’t be able to withstand good European opposition, which we have seen on numerous occasions in their last couple of campaigns. On the plus side CSKA have by far the most European experience in this group. Leverkusen are becoming Champions League regulars, while Monaco are only visiting the group stages for the second time in over ten years. Tottenham are the team with the least experience. It has been five years since their latest visit to the Champions League group stages.
Another major plus is that the new CSKA Arena is finally ready to host some football, and CSKA can look forward to a packed stadium for each of these group stage matches.
In the end however, I have very little trust in that CSKA can advance from this group. A third place finish, and access into the Europa League knockout round seems like the best-case scenario for the Army Men, and something the fans should be satisfied with.
My prediction: 4th
Potential further on: Knocked out in the group
Group D:
Bayern Munich
Atlético Madrid
PSV
FC Rostov
Rostov already deserve a seal of approval for their results in this seasons Champions League. First Anderlecht were knocked out in the third qualification round, and in the play-offs, Ajax suffered the same fate after a soul crushing 4-1 defeat in Rostov in the second leg.
Now, Rostov face a task close to impossible if they want to progress to the knockout round. European giants Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid look guaranteed to progress to the next round, leaving Rostov and PSV to battle for third. Even if Rostov pull out some miracles in the group, I don’t see them finishing above any of the two heavyweights. But I do however see them finishing above Dutch champions PSV.
Rostov’s weakness is undoubtedly the transfer market they have just come out of. Head coach Kurban Berdyev has left (for now), and so have two vital defenders in Novoseltsev and Bastos who have left for bigger clubs and challenges. Although Vladimir Granat, Papa Gueye and Miha Mevlja were brought in on deadline day, it will take time for them to adapt.
Rostov’s strengths are their strict discipline, and that they are experts specifically in the tactic they exercise. Luckily, none of their important attacking players have been forced to leave. Players like Azmoun, Poloz, Erokhin and midfielder Noboa are all still in the club. The base from last season is pretty much the same although they have been hurt in their depth.
The two games against PSV will decide whether or not Rostov get to play European football after December. I can imagine Rostov grabbing a point at home against Atlético, but not against Bayern. The two away games in Munich and Madrid will give zero points. Against PSV, Rostov have to win at home. That will put all the pressure on PSV before the reverse game on matchday six. And we all know Rostov love having to defend while being the underdog.
My prediction: 3rd
Potential further on: Round of 16 (UEL)
UEFA Europa League: Zenit St. Petersburg and FC Krasnodar
Group D
Zenit
AZ Alkmaar
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Dundalk FC
Zenit’s group should be a walk in the park. The Blue-White-Sky Blues have come weakened out of the summer transfer window after losing Hulk and Ezequiel Garay, and potentially keeping a unmotivated Axel Witsel after the club blew his deadline day move to Juventus. However, Zenit’s acquisitions look promising, and they have not reached their peak yet. Giuliano is for me the most exciting. He has started absolutely phenomenally, and has already proven himself instrumental for the St. Petersburg outfit. On deadline day Ivan Novoseltsev was brought in from Rostov, a promising central defender that with his Russian passport opens up a foreign sport further up the field, which should benefit Slovak international Robert Mak, who has struggled to get playing time since joining Mircea Lucescu’s side.
Zenit should end up with maximum points in this group. The only tricky fixtures are the away games against Maccabi Tel-Aviv in match day one, and the away game on matchday six against AZ, where Zenit potentially could rest their squad if they already have booked their tickets to the play-offs.
Dundalk looks like a team that could be crushed in this group. A tough domestic fixture-list combined with European matches against top professional European teams, home and away should prove too much to handle, and anything but six points against the Irishmen will be a huge disappointment for Zenit.
For Zenit, the real task in this season’s Europa League will first show it’s face after the group stages. Until then, it will be a walk in the park.
My prediction: 1st
Potential further on: Semi-Final
Group I:
Schalke 04
Red Bull Salzburg
FC Krasnodar
OGC Nice
Krasnodar are becoming a team with plenty of European pedigree. Last season, they finished above Dortmund in the group stage, but because of a slow start after the winter break, Sparta Prague knocked them out in the Round of 32. A good group campaign that turned into a disappointment – similar to what we saw with Zenit.
This season however, Krasnodar are going in with even more experience in the bank, and an almost identical squad. Central defenders Ragnar Sigurdsson and Stefan Strandberg have left for Fulham and Hannover 96 respectively, but Naldo from Sporting CP has been brought in as a replacement. The rest of the squad has barely been touched. Krasnodar have not been in the best of form recently, but have been consistent in their results over the last couple of years, and should be ready for Europe which they always seem to be more motivated for.
Their opponents are Schalke 04, with lots of experience and quality, Red Bull Salzburg, who once again failed to qualify for the Champions League, and newcomers OGC Nice, who just signed Mario Balotelli.
It is fair to say that Schalke are favourites. Not as big as Dortmund last season, but they are favourites. After them I rank Krasnodar second best. Their squad is better than both Salzburg and Nice, and their free-flowing attacking football has proven effective in Europe, especially at home.
Krasnodar will play two of their three home games in this seasons campaign at their new Krasnodar Stadium. The first official fixture for Krasnodar at the new stadium will be against Schalke on October the 20th.
My prediction: 1st/2nd
Potential further on: Quarter-Final
Summary
Zenit are Russia’s best shot at success this season. Not only do they have an easy group, they also have lots of experience. And even though Garay and Hulk have left, they are also in possession of the best squad of all the Russian teams. A semi-final should be realistic. They are one of the pre-tournament favorites to clinch the title, and depending on the draw, a final is not too unthinkable if Lucescu’s men gain momentum. Last year he guided a significantly weaker Shakhtar squad to the semi-finals. But then again it depends on what teams will come over from the Champions League.
Krasnodar are my second shot for Russian glory. It is finally time for them to prove themselves in Europe, and even though their group is a bit tough, they should advance if they have any ambition of making it to the further stages of the tournament. I believe and expect a quarter-final end to their European campaign this season.
Rostov I believe will make it to the Europa League Round of 32 via a third place finish in their Champions League group. Some very lucky draws, and they could make it to the quarter-finals. But realistically, I only think they can take it one round further than the Round of 32 to the last 16.
CSKA would be able to do some damage in the Europa League, but unfortunately I don’t think they will make it out of their Champions League group. If they clinch 3rd, I could see them getting to the quarter-finals, or even further, depending on the draw.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2016 BY LUKAS MÜLLER
Russian teams always seem to do well in Europe. Over the years, the Russian coefficient has risen nicely, and in August this year, Russia overtook Portugal in the UEFA rankings for club competitions, making it the sixth strongest in Europe. Even though Russia only have four teams in the group stages of the Champions League and the Europa League, compared to five last season, all four of them look ready to compete on an international level. I will go through the chance of success for the various Russian outfits this season.
UEFA Champions League: FC Rostov and CSKA Moscow
Group E:
CSKA Moscow
Bayer Leverkusen
Tottenham
Monaco
As usual, CSKA find themselves in a very tough group. This time however, it is also a very evenly-matched group as there are no major favourites this time. Therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised to see CSKA slip through to the knockout rounds. But with that said they are the weakest team on paper, and their domestic start to the season doesn’t fill me with confidence that they can shove teams like Tottenham and Leverkusen under them in the final standings.
CSKA’s biggest issue is their weak attack. They have problems scoring against bottom-ranked Russian League teams right now, and even though their defence is good enough to withstand the average Russian teams, it won’t be able to withstand good European opposition, which we have seen on numerous occasions in their last couple of campaigns. On the plus side CSKA have by far the most European experience in this group. Leverkusen are becoming Champions League regulars, while Monaco are only visiting the group stages for the second time in over ten years. Tottenham are the team with the least experience. It has been five years since their latest visit to the Champions League group stages.
Another major plus is that the new CSKA Arena is finally ready to host some football, and CSKA can look forward to a packed stadium for each of these group stage matches.
In the end however, I have very little trust in that CSKA can advance from this group. A third place finish, and access into the Europa League knockout round seems like the best-case scenario for the Army Men, and something the fans should be satisfied with.
My prediction: 4th
Potential further on: Knocked out in the group
Group D:
Bayern Munich
Atlético Madrid
PSV
FC Rostov
Rostov already deserve a seal of approval for their results in this seasons Champions League. First Anderlecht were knocked out in the third qualification round, and in the play-offs, Ajax suffered the same fate after a soul crushing 4-1 defeat in Rostov in the second leg.
Now, Rostov face a task close to impossible if they want to progress to the knockout round. European giants Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid look guaranteed to progress to the next round, leaving Rostov and PSV to battle for third. Even if Rostov pull out some miracles in the group, I don’t see them finishing above any of the two heavyweights. But I do however see them finishing above Dutch champions PSV.
Rostov’s weakness is undoubtedly the transfer market they have just come out of. Head coach Kurban Berdyev has left (for now), and so have two vital defenders in Novoseltsev and Bastos who have left for bigger clubs and challenges. Although Vladimir Granat, Papa Gueye and Miha Mevlja were brought in on deadline day, it will take time for them to adapt.
Rostov’s strengths are their strict discipline, and that they are experts specifically in the tactic they exercise. Luckily, none of their important attacking players have been forced to leave. Players like Azmoun, Poloz, Erokhin and midfielder Noboa are all still in the club. The base from last season is pretty much the same although they have been hurt in their depth.
The two games against PSV will decide whether or not Rostov get to play European football after December. I can imagine Rostov grabbing a point at home against Atlético, but not against Bayern. The two away games in Munich and Madrid will give zero points. Against PSV, Rostov have to win at home. That will put all the pressure on PSV before the reverse game on matchday six. And we all know Rostov love having to defend while being the underdog.
My prediction: 3rd
Potential further on: Round of 16 (UEL)
UEFA Europa League: Zenit St. Petersburg and FC Krasnodar
Group D
Zenit
AZ Alkmaar
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Dundalk FC
Zenit’s group should be a walk in the park. The Blue-White-Sky Blues have come weakened out of the summer transfer window after losing Hulk and Ezequiel Garay, and potentially keeping a unmotivated Axel Witsel after the club blew his deadline day move to Juventus. However, Zenit’s acquisitions look promising, and they have not reached their peak yet. Giuliano is for me the most exciting. He has started absolutely phenomenally, and has already proven himself instrumental for the St. Petersburg outfit. On deadline day Ivan Novoseltsev was brought in from Rostov, a promising central defender that with his Russian passport opens up a foreign sport further up the field, which should benefit Slovak international Robert Mak, who has struggled to get playing time since joining Mircea Lucescu’s side.
Zenit should end up with maximum points in this group. The only tricky fixtures are the away games against Maccabi Tel-Aviv in match day one, and the away game on matchday six against AZ, where Zenit potentially could rest their squad if they already have booked their tickets to the play-offs.
Dundalk looks like a team that could be crushed in this group. A tough domestic fixture-list combined with European matches against top professional European teams, home and away should prove too much to handle, and anything but six points against the Irishmen will be a huge disappointment for Zenit.
For Zenit, the real task in this season’s Europa League will first show it’s face after the group stages. Until then, it will be a walk in the park.
My prediction: 1st
Potential further on: Semi-Final
Group I:
Schalke 04
Red Bull Salzburg
FC Krasnodar
OGC Nice
Krasnodar are becoming a team with plenty of European pedigree. Last season, they finished above Dortmund in the group stage, but because of a slow start after the winter break, Sparta Prague knocked them out in the Round of 32. A good group campaign that turned into a disappointment – similar to what we saw with Zenit.
This season however, Krasnodar are going in with even more experience in the bank, and an almost identical squad. Central defenders Ragnar Sigurdsson and Stefan Strandberg have left for Fulham and Hannover 96 respectively, but Naldo from Sporting CP has been brought in as a replacement. The rest of the squad has barely been touched. Krasnodar have not been in the best of form recently, but have been consistent in their results over the last couple of years, and should be ready for Europe which they always seem to be more motivated for.
Their opponents are Schalke 04, with lots of experience and quality, Red Bull Salzburg, who once again failed to qualify for the Champions League, and newcomers OGC Nice, who just signed Mario Balotelli.
It is fair to say that Schalke are favourites. Not as big as Dortmund last season, but they are favourites. After them I rank Krasnodar second best. Their squad is better than both Salzburg and Nice, and their free-flowing attacking football has proven effective in Europe, especially at home.
Krasnodar will play two of their three home games in this seasons campaign at their new Krasnodar Stadium. The first official fixture for Krasnodar at the new stadium will be against Schalke on October the 20th.
My prediction: 1st/2nd
Potential further on: Quarter-Final
Summary
Zenit are Russia’s best shot at success this season. Not only do they have an easy group, they also have lots of experience. And even though Garay and Hulk have left, they are also in possession of the best squad of all the Russian teams. A semi-final should be realistic. They are one of the pre-tournament favorites to clinch the title, and depending on the draw, a final is not too unthinkable if Lucescu’s men gain momentum. Last year he guided a significantly weaker Shakhtar squad to the semi-finals. But then again it depends on what teams will come over from the Champions League.
Krasnodar are my second shot for Russian glory. It is finally time for them to prove themselves in Europe, and even though their group is a bit tough, they should advance if they have any ambition of making it to the further stages of the tournament. I believe and expect a quarter-final end to their European campaign this season.
Rostov I believe will make it to the Europa League Round of 32 via a third place finish in their Champions League group. Some very lucky draws, and they could make it to the quarter-finals. But realistically, I only think they can take it one round further than the Round of 32 to the last 16.
CSKA would be able to do some damage in the Europa League, but unfortunately I don’t think they will make it out of their Champions League group. If they clinch 3rd, I could see them getting to the quarter-finals, or even further, depending on the draw.
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bugylibicska
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Kurban Berdyev has returned to Rostov as vice-president. He will furthermore be a part of the coaching staff.
The new coach of Rostov is Ivan Daniliants, 63 years old Austrian citizen born in Turkmenistan like Berdyev.
And Rostov won their game 2:1 against Krylya Sovetov Samara with him today.
The new coach of Rostov is Ivan Daniliants, 63 years old Austrian citizen born in Turkmenistan like Berdyev.
And Rostov won their game 2:1 against Krylya Sovetov Samara with him today.
Basicaly Berdyev remains Rostov main coach,the difference regarding last season is that he will not be in the bench,that's it.bugylibicska wrote:Kurban Berdyev has returned to Rostov as vice-president. He will furthermore be a part of the coaching staff.
The new coach of Rostov is Ivan Daniliants, 63 years old Austrian citizen born in Turkmenistan like Berdyev.
And Rostov won their game 2:1 against Krylya Sovetov Samara with him today.
Amkar-Tom 1-0,great goal by salugin,good start of the season for Amkar.
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bugylibicska
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- Location: Canada
I`ve expected Rostov and CSKA to lose and Zenit to win and Krasnodar to draw. And the results are much better. CSKA with this point from Germany gave themselves a chance not to finish 4th in the group. They`re very unpredictable, difficult to say what to expect next. Tottenham next, a win would be very nice, but even a draw still OK. Rostov are in direct competition with PSV for the 3rd spot, so Atletico`s win in Holland a good news for them. Still Rostov must win against PSV next round. A team that can turn around from 0:3 to 4:3 in 14 minutes should be more respectful to their fans than causing them heart attack like syndromes. Next Alkmaar for Zenit and with a win they`re practically in. Bravo Krasnodar, great start in a difficult group. Nice lost at home, so now I think Krasnodar have the edge for 2nd spot. Maybe even beating Schalke not impossible. They must beat Nice next round, then looks pretty good. So, I`ve expected 3 points only and 5 were gathered instead, great!
lol insane game in telavive,good result for cska and krasnodar(shalimov starting with a win),a expected defeat for rostov.
Rostov might lose their main spomsor......
The club is living with financial problems since ever but keeps surviving,interesting they made more than 20 millions in the last weeks,cl prize,sale of two players.We will see how thing will go on.
Rostov might lose their main spomsor......
The club is living with financial problems since ever but keeps surviving,interesting they made more than 20 millions in the last weeks,cl prize,sale of two players.We will see how thing will go on.
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bugylibicska
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The next round will be crucial for both Rostov and CSKA. Both need a win to be in the race for 3rd spot. Zenit will win the group now and Krasnodar I give more than 50% chance to progress, but still a long way to go.
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bugylibicska
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Reactions from Russia’s Week in Europe
September 17, 2016 by Toke Møller Theilade
Champions League
Bayer Leverkusen – CSKA Moscow 2:2
CSKA came back from two goals down to secure a draw against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
The hosts were 2-0 up after 15 minutes but CSKA displayed resilience and were level before half time.
Admir Mehmedi opened the scoring in the eigth minute when he took advantage of a poorly-worked offside trap to fire past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
Seven minutes later, Hakan Calhanoglu’s deflected shot from 20 yards flew into the top corner.
The game’s defining moment occurred in the 35th minute when Igor Akinfeev made a fine double save to deny Mehmedi, who had beaten the Russian defence’s woeful offside trap.
CSKA were stung into life and, a minute after Akinfeev’s saves, Aleksey Ionov spotted Alan Dzagoev’s run into the box and the midfielder made no mistake from close range.
The game had barely restarted when CSKA levelled the score via Roman Eremenko, who collected a pass from Lacina Traore to fire the ball through the legs of keeper Bernd Leno from a tight angle.
Leonid Slutsky’s men held on for the point with Akinfeev having made several crucial saves in the second half.
Slutsky, speaking to the official club website, acknowledged that his players were caught out by the speed of the game. He said: “The start was discouraging for us. We conceded two goals in the opening minutes, although we feared exactly this. It takes time and games in order to adjust to the speed of the Champions League. Today it took us fifteen minutes to do this. It could have been fatal.”
He continued: “I would like to focus on the positives. We were able to adjust, level the score and, in general, taking away the first fifteen minutes, we looked quite good. In the second half, we did not allow the opposition to dominate any aspects of the game.”
Midfielder Aleksandr Golovin shared his thoughts. “The first fifteen minutes were very difficult,” he said. “But it was a good result for an away game. Of course, we wanted to win and with the score at 2-2 we tried to score but, nonetheless, the result was good.”
Discussing the game plan, he said: “We were prepared for a team which would mostly attacked through the middle and less down the flanks. They also have a small problem where they attack with all their might and cannot get back in time. We wanted to play on their mistakes.”
Bayern Munich – Rostov 5:0
Rostov’s Champions League debut saw them lose 5-0 away to Bayern Munich.
Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller had the hosts two up by half time. A brace from Josh Kimmich and Juan Bernat’s late goal added gloss to the scoreline.
Newly appointed Rostov manager, Ivan Daniliants, felt that Bayern’s level far surpassed anything his players were accustomed to facing. Speaking to the official club website, he reflected: “Today was a very difficult match, it was a serious test for the guys. The opposition played very quickly. There are few teams which play as quickly as Bayern – especially in our league. It all demanded great concentration. Ultimately, one goal was conceded from a penalty and two from counter-attacks, when we wanted to show that we did not only know how to defend. Today the guys displayed courage, endurance and fought and played as one team.
Asked to compare Carlos Ancellotti’s Bayern with Pep Guardiola’s, Daniliants answered: “The current Bayern team plays longer, more directly and therefore faster – without all of this tiki-taka.”
Europa League
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Zenit St Petersburg 3:4
Zenit pulled off one of the great European comebacks to defeat Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel.
Trailing 3-0 with 15 minutes to go, goals from Aleksandr Kokorin, Mauricio and Giuliano brought the score level, much to the disbelief of the Russian commentary team. In the 81st minute the home side were down to ten men when Dasa saw his second yellow.
In added time, Luka Dordevic’s flying header sent Zenit ahead and sparked scenes of wild jubilation in the stands.
Zenit boss Mircea Lucescu reflected on the game. He said: “I’ve never been involved in such a game in my career and my career has been very long and rich. We started very relaxed and they took advantage of that. They played aggressively and we easily lost the ball in the middle of the park due to their pressure.
“I think that the whole game in the second half changed due to Giuliano. He was the start of all the attacks and he scored. He also set-up Djordjevic to score. He deserves praise as does Mauricio and Djordjevic. Kokorin played very poorly in the first half, but I left him on the field.
“He lost the ball in a counterattack and they took advantage of that. Today was not his best game, even though he scored. But honestly, he is a talented player with almost no flaws technically. Unfortunately, he has not yet really shown it yet. I look forward to that a lot.”
Salzburg – Krasnodar 0:1
A first half goal from Joaozinho earned victory for Krasnodar, who had to play the final 20 minutes with ten men.
The Brazilian pounced on a defensive error in the 37th minute and arrowed the ball into the bottom corner.
The visitors’ task was made more difficult when Sergei Petrov saw red but they managed to hold on for a precious three points.
New Krasnodar boss Igor Shalimov shared his thoughts. He said: “The game was difficult, mostly because we had to play the end of the game with ten men. There was a time when we struggled but that is normal for an away team.”
He added: “In terms of defence we played well, there were good attacking moments but not many. In general, I am satisfied with the result and also with how we played with character, patience and commitment.”
September 17, 2016 by Toke Møller Theilade
Champions League
Bayer Leverkusen – CSKA Moscow 2:2
CSKA came back from two goals down to secure a draw against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
The hosts were 2-0 up after 15 minutes but CSKA displayed resilience and were level before half time.
Admir Mehmedi opened the scoring in the eigth minute when he took advantage of a poorly-worked offside trap to fire past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
Seven minutes later, Hakan Calhanoglu’s deflected shot from 20 yards flew into the top corner.
The game’s defining moment occurred in the 35th minute when Igor Akinfeev made a fine double save to deny Mehmedi, who had beaten the Russian defence’s woeful offside trap.
CSKA were stung into life and, a minute after Akinfeev’s saves, Aleksey Ionov spotted Alan Dzagoev’s run into the box and the midfielder made no mistake from close range.
The game had barely restarted when CSKA levelled the score via Roman Eremenko, who collected a pass from Lacina Traore to fire the ball through the legs of keeper Bernd Leno from a tight angle.
Leonid Slutsky’s men held on for the point with Akinfeev having made several crucial saves in the second half.
Slutsky, speaking to the official club website, acknowledged that his players were caught out by the speed of the game. He said: “The start was discouraging for us. We conceded two goals in the opening minutes, although we feared exactly this. It takes time and games in order to adjust to the speed of the Champions League. Today it took us fifteen minutes to do this. It could have been fatal.”
He continued: “I would like to focus on the positives. We were able to adjust, level the score and, in general, taking away the first fifteen minutes, we looked quite good. In the second half, we did not allow the opposition to dominate any aspects of the game.”
Midfielder Aleksandr Golovin shared his thoughts. “The first fifteen minutes were very difficult,” he said. “But it was a good result for an away game. Of course, we wanted to win and with the score at 2-2 we tried to score but, nonetheless, the result was good.”
Discussing the game plan, he said: “We were prepared for a team which would mostly attacked through the middle and less down the flanks. They also have a small problem where they attack with all their might and cannot get back in time. We wanted to play on their mistakes.”
Bayern Munich – Rostov 5:0
Rostov’s Champions League debut saw them lose 5-0 away to Bayern Munich.
Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller had the hosts two up by half time. A brace from Josh Kimmich and Juan Bernat’s late goal added gloss to the scoreline.
Newly appointed Rostov manager, Ivan Daniliants, felt that Bayern’s level far surpassed anything his players were accustomed to facing. Speaking to the official club website, he reflected: “Today was a very difficult match, it was a serious test for the guys. The opposition played very quickly. There are few teams which play as quickly as Bayern – especially in our league. It all demanded great concentration. Ultimately, one goal was conceded from a penalty and two from counter-attacks, when we wanted to show that we did not only know how to defend. Today the guys displayed courage, endurance and fought and played as one team.
Asked to compare Carlos Ancellotti’s Bayern with Pep Guardiola’s, Daniliants answered: “The current Bayern team plays longer, more directly and therefore faster – without all of this tiki-taka.”
Europa League
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Zenit St Petersburg 3:4
Zenit pulled off one of the great European comebacks to defeat Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel.
Trailing 3-0 with 15 minutes to go, goals from Aleksandr Kokorin, Mauricio and Giuliano brought the score level, much to the disbelief of the Russian commentary team. In the 81st minute the home side were down to ten men when Dasa saw his second yellow.
In added time, Luka Dordevic’s flying header sent Zenit ahead and sparked scenes of wild jubilation in the stands.
Zenit boss Mircea Lucescu reflected on the game. He said: “I’ve never been involved in such a game in my career and my career has been very long and rich. We started very relaxed and they took advantage of that. They played aggressively and we easily lost the ball in the middle of the park due to their pressure.
“I think that the whole game in the second half changed due to Giuliano. He was the start of all the attacks and he scored. He also set-up Djordjevic to score. He deserves praise as does Mauricio and Djordjevic. Kokorin played very poorly in the first half, but I left him on the field.
“He lost the ball in a counterattack and they took advantage of that. Today was not his best game, even though he scored. But honestly, he is a talented player with almost no flaws technically. Unfortunately, he has not yet really shown it yet. I look forward to that a lot.”
Salzburg – Krasnodar 0:1
A first half goal from Joaozinho earned victory for Krasnodar, who had to play the final 20 minutes with ten men.
The Brazilian pounced on a defensive error in the 37th minute and arrowed the ball into the bottom corner.
The visitors’ task was made more difficult when Sergei Petrov saw red but they managed to hold on for a precious three points.
New Krasnodar boss Igor Shalimov shared his thoughts. He said: “The game was difficult, mostly because we had to play the end of the game with ten men. There was a time when we struggled but that is normal for an away team.”
He added: “In terms of defence we played well, there were good attacking moments but not many. In general, I am satisfied with the result and also with how we played with character, patience and commitment.”
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bugylibicska
- Senior Member
- Posts: 30904
- Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 17:21
- Location: Canada
Russia and the Hunt for the Third Champions League Spot
September 19, 2016 by Toke Møller Theilade
Before this season started, Russia were ranked seventh in UEFA’s Country Ranking, which granted them two Champions League spots, occupied by CSKA Moscow and FC Rostov, and three Europa League spots, occupied by FC Krasnodar, Spartak Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg. Since then however, Russia have taken some significant jumps up the rankings, and they are currently the second best performing country in the top 10, and the sixth best performing overall (the countries whose clubs go through the early rounds of qualification earns more points in the beginning, which is why Denmark, Croatia, Austria and Israel occupy the first four places at the moment).
Four out of the five Russian teams managed to reach the group stage, and they have started relatively well. Two victories, a draw and a defeat were the results delivered by the Russian contesters in European competitions last week.
Due to these good performances, Russia are currently sitting sixth in the ranking, which grants another Champions League spot for the 2018/2019 season if kept. As seen on the table below, Russia even has the chance of reaching the fifth place, which would be the highest position in the history of the country, and provide the Russian teams with even better seeding for the qualification.
What makes this realistic is that the UEFA Country Ranking is based on the performances of the last five seasons, meaning that both France and Portugal lose their point-wise best seasons, while Russia lose their second-worst. This means that Russia can even afford to lose a point to the French and Portuguese teams and still win fifth place.
France do of course have the advantage of having five clubs in Europe, Monaco, Lyon and PSG in the Champions League and St. Etienne and Nice in the Europa League, at this stage compared to the four of Russia and Portugal.
Still a long road ahead
While things are certainly looking good for Russia at this point, there is still a long road ahead. The biggest problem is the danger of Rostov finishing last in their challenging Champions League group, leaving a lot of pressure on CSKA, Zenit and FC Krasnodar to achieve beyond the already high expectations. As expressed by the majority of the RFN writers in both the recent round table on the expectations to the Russian clubs in Europe and in the latest issue of the RFN Podcast, Zenit has to carry the Russian flag this season due to their strong squad and easy Europa League group. In fact, it looks like most of the Russian points will come from the Europa League this season with both Krasnodar and Zenit looking set for good campaigns, while CSKA and Rostov are expected to struggle more in the Champions League.
As if things weren’t exciting enough, both CSKA and Krasnodar have been matched up against French teams, making the encounters against respectively Monaco and Nice absolutely crucial for the Russian coefficient score.
Nevertheless, the Russian clubs are off to a good start with the 12/13 season soon to be erased and their promising beginnings to the campaigns, and now it is up to the clubs to get the job done and at least keep sixth place, making the next ambush on the fifth place even easier.
September 19, 2016 by Toke Møller Theilade
Before this season started, Russia were ranked seventh in UEFA’s Country Ranking, which granted them two Champions League spots, occupied by CSKA Moscow and FC Rostov, and three Europa League spots, occupied by FC Krasnodar, Spartak Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg. Since then however, Russia have taken some significant jumps up the rankings, and they are currently the second best performing country in the top 10, and the sixth best performing overall (the countries whose clubs go through the early rounds of qualification earns more points in the beginning, which is why Denmark, Croatia, Austria and Israel occupy the first four places at the moment).
Four out of the five Russian teams managed to reach the group stage, and they have started relatively well. Two victories, a draw and a defeat were the results delivered by the Russian contesters in European competitions last week.
Due to these good performances, Russia are currently sitting sixth in the ranking, which grants another Champions League spot for the 2018/2019 season if kept. As seen on the table below, Russia even has the chance of reaching the fifth place, which would be the highest position in the history of the country, and provide the Russian teams with even better seeding for the qualification.
What makes this realistic is that the UEFA Country Ranking is based on the performances of the last five seasons, meaning that both France and Portugal lose their point-wise best seasons, while Russia lose their second-worst. This means that Russia can even afford to lose a point to the French and Portuguese teams and still win fifth place.
France do of course have the advantage of having five clubs in Europe, Monaco, Lyon and PSG in the Champions League and St. Etienne and Nice in the Europa League, at this stage compared to the four of Russia and Portugal.
Still a long road ahead
While things are certainly looking good for Russia at this point, there is still a long road ahead. The biggest problem is the danger of Rostov finishing last in their challenging Champions League group, leaving a lot of pressure on CSKA, Zenit and FC Krasnodar to achieve beyond the already high expectations. As expressed by the majority of the RFN writers in both the recent round table on the expectations to the Russian clubs in Europe and in the latest issue of the RFN Podcast, Zenit has to carry the Russian flag this season due to their strong squad and easy Europa League group. In fact, it looks like most of the Russian points will come from the Europa League this season with both Krasnodar and Zenit looking set for good campaigns, while CSKA and Rostov are expected to struggle more in the Champions League.
As if things weren’t exciting enough, both CSKA and Krasnodar have been matched up against French teams, making the encounters against respectively Monaco and Nice absolutely crucial for the Russian coefficient score.
Nevertheless, the Russian clubs are off to a good start with the 12/13 season soon to be erased and their promising beginnings to the campaigns, and now it is up to the clubs to get the job done and at least keep sixth place, making the next ambush on the fifth place even easier.
top 3 this year spartak,cska,zenit in any order?
loko and rubin way behind at the moment.
loko and rubin way behind at the moment.
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bugylibicska
- Senior Member
- Posts: 30904
- Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 17:21
- Location: Canada
If Spartak would be in the ELGS in this form they`re in the league, could mean an extra 2 points for Russia. Rubin are a big disappointment. 