There are two gameweeks left in Russia's Premier League competition and November hadn't been this warm since Zenit's 2007 triumph, which came on top of that famous McLaren defeat. Last year, Rubin became champions with three games to go.
As it StandsRubin (59 points) have a chance of securing the title earlier, should they beat Zenit (50 points) at home on November 21. However, Zenit, out of contention this year, have invested too much transfer money to miss out on UCL football next time, thus required to collect a minimum of four points from their remaining two games: that away fixture at Kazan, and at home to Spartak (55 points) on the final day of the season (November 29). FK Moskva (48), Lokomotiv (48) and CSKA (46) are breathing down their neck for that last UCL spot.
Battling Two Fronts A classic dillema for any leading club, the pressure is on for Rubin to retain their title, in the meantime qualify for Champions League Last-16. The good news is that their counter-attacking football got the better of CSKA (0-2) at Luzhniki last Sunday, in a manner similar to that with which they conquered Camp Nou. Berdyev is not without weaknesses. The master tactician is a meticolous strategist, probably because he doesn't like to risk. He might be tempted to go for the offensive against the St.Petersburg team, because by November 21, a handfull of Zenit players will be exhausted from the world cup play-offs, and Berdyev must be smelling blood. Aware of this, Zenit might feel they're better off aiming for a draw, in order to peacefully prepare for Spartak eight days later. Will Berdyev take assault on a counter-attacking Zenit ? Or, is he instead to pamper European ambitions in a must-win UCL encounter with Dinamo Kiev at home, November 24? Leaving the decider for the last game against Inter Milan is not recommendable.
This is a tough test for the champions, but for many neutrals, and Spartak fans like me, their final match against Kuban could turn disastrous. We certainly hope Rubin put UCL at first priority.
Touchy NervesShould Kazan fail to win over Zenit, they shall next take a tough trip to relegation bound Kuban Krasnodar (15th place, 25 points), who by that time might find the insentives to stay up, at the expence of Spartak Nalchik (14th, 29 points). Nalchik face FK Moskva next, while Kuban take on Terek at home. A Nalchik defeat and Krasnodar win is very likely. Yet despite this possibility, it's hard to imagine Spartak work out all remaining six points to steal the title.
Spartak fans may be excused for dreaming a romantic end to the season, but their 1-2 away defeat at Krylya, with two own goals by Stranzl and foolish keeper Dzhanaev, offers a sobering reality. It's asking too much for Karpin's men to beat CSKA and Zenit (home and away respectively). Yet, psychologically, they carry no pressure, because Spartak do not risk losing a top three finish. They've got nothing to lose.
I liked how Sport-Express summed up the season's finale so far: real football is contested on nerves. In Samara, Spartak became the first to lose theirs. Who will lose it next?
Side Notes: Siberian Achievements and War-Zone Football To finish up, allow me to inform you about the success of Siberian, errr, stadium administrators. FK Tom, from the city of Tomsk, where Anton Chekhov's nasty words is forever remembered by the town's folks, had unexpectedly hosted Lokomotiv Moscow on a perfect pitch, despite snowfall. According to the in-form Dmitriy Sychev, who's been scoring goals lately, the grass is much better than most in the country, and its actually natural, none of the plastic pitch nonsense. How cruel could one be not to grant them 2018/22 host-city nomination?!? FIFA should consider winter world cups. Meanwhile, Sibir Novosibirsk have joined Anzhy from Makhachkala in war-torn Dagestan for Premier League promotion. The later have sounded their ambition to ambush a few Nalchik players to strengthen their squad. In the same breath, Dinamo Moscow have also sounded their ambition to (finally) purchase five qualified players, including Igor Semshov (Zenit), Ryazantsev and Bukharov (Rubin). But their most intelligent, and realistic target would be FK Moscow defender Epurianu and winger Chesnauskis.