Baltika – Spartak M

The local club in Kaliningrad will not yield to the capital's rival

Andrey Talalaev has undoubtedly created a new force in Russian football in Kaliningrad. Unlike any other, but no less competitive compared to the Premier League leaders. Baltika showcased this conclusively in the last round when they hosted the national champion at home. Despite conceding a quick goal to Krasnodar, Talalaev's team not only regained their composure and equalized quickly but also nearly left the 'bulls' without a single point. The Baltika coach is also gaining popularity, expressing ideas in the press that resonate with the public. In the upcoming round, the local club's table neighbor will come to Kaliningrad. Spartak Moscow has finally parted ways with Dejan Stankovic, who was mainly just serving suspensions and causing verbal altercations during his team's matches. Currently, the Moscow team is coached by an interim, but possible candidates for the prestigious position are surfacing in the media. Bookmakers have named the guests as favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.34 for their victory. Baltika plays disciplined football with a clear structure. It relies on a solid defense as a key to success. Remarkably, over the last eleven rounds of the Premier League, the Kaliningrad team has conceded only two goals. The first was from CSKA in the final minutes of stoppage time while Baltika was down to ten men. The second was the aforementioned one, where Talalaev's team hardly got into the game after the opening whistle against Krasnodar. Baltika also did not concede in the first match against Spartak. Back then, the 'red-whites' suffered a heavy defeat at their arena with a score of 0:3. Spartak, despite the coach's dismissal, cannot be called a weak team. In the last seven official matches, the 'red-whites' have won six times, losing only to Krasnodar at their arena. In the last round, Spartak won the main Moscow derby against CSKA, which clearly inspired their numerous fans. The problem is that Baltika appears to be a weaker opponent on paper. In reality, Talalaev's team showcases more substantive football. At their arena, Baltika will not concede to the favorite of the match.