At the Zenith of glory: the main intrigues of the 13th round of the Russian Premier League

In the 13th round of the Russian Premier League, Spartak, Krasnodar and Dynamo will try to rehabilitate themselves, CSKA faces a difficult exit for recent failures, and Zenit has a chance to gain a foothold at the top. To do this, Sergei Semak's team needs to win a difficult match in Samara. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Who is the worst in the Moscow Championship

The main match of the tour will be held in Cherkizovo. Moreover, the need to restore the reputation was added to the tournament intrigue. Both opponents lost in the previous round. Lokomotiv lost to Rostov 0-2, Spartak lost to CSKA with the same score.

And if the railroad workers were unpleasantly surprised by their helplessness, then the red and white once again made you wonder what kind of "Spartak" is real. Is this the team that is able to play superbly with Zenit, defeat Rubin, or the one that turns out to be powerless against well-organized opponents? Of the top teams, only St. Petersburg were beaten, while Krasnodar, Dynamo and CSKA were defeated.

But, of course, questions have accumulated about Loko. Until recently, it was hard to imagine that Lokomotiv would come to the Moscow derby in 13th place, in the play-off zone. But that's the reality. After 12 rounds, the railwaymen have only two wins and 11 points. The worst start in the club's history!

And the problems didn't start yesterday. The departure of Batrakov, Karpukas, Vorobyov and other leading players noticeably weakened the team. Mikhail Galaktionov is trying to rebuild the game, but so far it's not working out well. And in the last round, Loko lost to Rostov without much chance — 0:2.

In the Moscow derbies, Lokomotiv, like Spartak, have two defeats so far — against Dynamo and CSKA.

What happened to the ex-leader

Until recently, it seemed that Dynamo could not be stopped. Seven consecutive wins in the championship, nine in all tournaments, sole leadership. Fans of the blue and white team have probably already begun to dream cautiously about the championship. And suddenly — 1:3 from Akron.

Moreover, the defeat from Tolyatti was especially unexpected after the victory over CSKA. Sandro Schwartz's team has just passed a serious test in the derby, demonstrating character, depth of the squad and good defensive organization. A week later, she conceded three goals from an opponent she was supposed to beat. Plus, on Tuesday, October 27, there was a cup defeat in Krasnodar.

What was that? Is it a common misfire after a long winning streak, or is it a signal that the blue and white team has not solved all their problems?

The match with Akhmat should help us figure it out. It is important for Dynamo not only to take three points, but also to regain the reliability that has become the main difference between Schwartz's current team and his first Moscow project. Moreover, after the loss of leadership, the price of new mistakes increases.

The champion is back in power

While the competitors are losing points, Zenit is doing what everyone has become accustomed to in recent years — winning. St. Petersburg beat Dynamo Makhachkala (2:0) and came out on top. Until recently, after an unsuccessful start to the season, there were questions about Sergey Semak and the team's prospects, and now the reigning champion is back at the top of the table. However, the gap is still small — only two points from Dynamo and CSKA. Therefore, it's too early to relax.

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In Samara, Zenit will have to test how confidently it is able to cope with teams that rely primarily on discipline and dedication. Krylia beat Rubin on the road in the last round (2-0), so you definitely shouldn't underestimate your opponent.

This is an opportunity for Petersburgers to strengthen their leadership. And to remind the competitors once again: while some are just learning how to fight for the championship, others know perfectly well how to do it.

Are the army men returning to the race?

Perhaps the main advantage of the current CSKA is the ability not to dwell on failures. After the first defeat in the championship against Dynamo, Dmitry Igdisamov's team came under serious pressure. Moreover, a series of matches with the main competitors was beginning ahead. And the Army responded with a convincing 2-0 victory over Spartak.

It is especially important that CSKA did not just take advantage of the opponent's mistakes, but again showed organized football, thanks to which they managed without defeats for the first 10 rounds. It turned out to prove that the failure with Dynamo does not mean that the young coach and his team have reached the ceiling.

Now for another exam. Orenburg is not one of the main contenders for medals, but it has been gaining points lately. Ildar Akhmetzyanov has settled into his new place, and his team is already the sixth and has not lost since the beginning of September.

CSKA has a good opportunity to continue its winning streak and retain its place in the leadership group. But it would also be dangerous to underestimate the owners.

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When the black episode ends

We have already discussed in detail the causes of the Krasnodar crisis. Spertsyan's departure, Krivtsov's injury, Cordoba's decline, problems with organizing attacks. All this has not disappeared. The black streak was interrupted only in the Cup, but it continues in the championship. And if earlier it was possible to explain failures by a combination of circumstances, now it becomes more and more obvious: Murad Musayev has really serious problems — six rounds without victories.

At the same time, Krasnodar retains good tournament positions. Despite the prolonged recession, the gap from the leading Zenit is only four points. The density at the top is so high that one or two wins can change the situation. But first you need to start winning.

And the match with Rodina seems to be a good opportunity. The RPL debutant is in the relegation zone, although he managed to beat Fakel in the previous round. Will Musaev finally be able to find a solution to the attack without the two main creators? Or will the crisis, which at first seemed temporary, drag on even more?

Kuzmin's First exam

A new story begins in Kazan. After Frank Artiga's dismissal, Rubin was entrusted to Oleg Kuzmin. The Spaniard was invited for the sake of more vibrant football and the team's progress, but in the end, Kazan ended up at the bottom of the table. Now it's up to a specialist who is well acquainted with the club to fix the situation.

Kuzmin has no serious independent coaching experience. But there is knowledge of the team, understanding of internal processes and the opportunity to shake up the team after a protracted crisis.

The opponent, it would seem, is suitable: "Torch" takes the last place. However, for the debut of a new coach, such meetings can be almost more difficult than matches with favorites. Rubin is expected to win exclusively, and any loss of points will only make the situation worse.

Will the Russian specialist succeed in what the Spaniard could not achieve? It's very interesting to see.