Krasnodar – Spartak M

The country champion will successfully play in the central match of the round.

The first season as champions of Russia is turning out to be quite difficult for Krasnodar. Despite currently being in first place in the Premier League table, Musaev's charges do not always achieve results with the same ease as in the first half of last season. Moreover, matches against direct competitors often end in setbacks for the 'Bulls.' However, there are also no reasons for disappointment before the main match of the fourteenth round for the Krasnodar team. On the contrary Spartak is awaited here with great interest and a winning attitude. The Moscow team is in a different state. The 'people's team' continues to struggle with their choice of coaches. Dejan Stankovic has recently completed his month-long ban for insulting referees, and there is ongoing discussion in the press about his potential replacement. Currently, Spartak is placed sixth in the league table, trailing the first position by seven points. Bookmakers have made the home team the favourites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.03 for their victory. In the third decade of September, Krasnodar experienced a slight slump. This was reflected in a home defeat to Zenit and an away draw with Rostov. Both matches ended for the 'Bulls' without scoring. Before the October break for national team matches, Musaev's charges managed to secure an important win against the difficult opponent, Akhmat, after which their situation improved. This month, the 'Bulls' have achieved four victories with an aggregate score of 8:0. Spartak is a good irritant for the reigning champions. The last match against this opponent ended in a heavy defeat for the 'Bulls' at home with a score of 0:3. Such a result from the previous match will undoubtedly help Musaev properly motivate his players for the upcoming encounter. In the last round, Spartak faced Orenburg in the Russian capital, who are currently in the relegation zone. The 'Red-Whites' managed to win the match 1:0 and earn three points. However, it is worth noting that Ugalde's goal came after the only shot on target by Spartak. Before the match against Orenburg, Stankovic's charges had suffered a defeat to CSKA and drawn with Rostov. With such gameplay and results, it will be extremely difficult for Spartak to even earn a point in the championship.