Fixtures
Matchday 6 (all kick off times GMT)
Saturday April 25
11:00 Rubin Kazan - Spartak Moscow
13:30 Zenit St Petersburg - FC Khimki
13:30 Dinamo Moscow - Kryliya Sovetov (Samara)
16:00 Terek Grozny - Saturn Moscow
Sunday April 26
11:00 FC Moscow - Tom' Tomsk
13:30 CSKA Moscow - Rostov-Na-Donu
15:00 Spartak Nalchik - Amkar Perm'
16:00 Kuban Krasnodar - Lokomotiv Moscow
Saturday
Rubin Kazan - Spartak Moscow
Top of the table Rubin Kazan kick off this week’s round of RPL matches with a home game against a rejuvenated Spartak Moscow.
The current champions of the RPL enjoyed a fine 3-0 win against in-form Dinamo Moscow last week.Spartak Moscow had a change of coach last week, when the once Great Dane Michael Laudrup was sacked. Valery Karpin, who is Spartak’s general director, will only take charge of the team until a permanent replacement is found.
The former Russia international playere, coached Spartak to a 2-0 win over Terek Grozny on the last matchday .
The former Russian national team coach, Oleg Romantsev, who has led Spartak to nine Russian championship titles, has returned to the club as a consultant coach.Romantsev was the boss of Russia at Euro 1996 and World Cup 2002.
This will be an important game, as a win for Spartak will narrow the gap to Rubin to only one point; while Rubin can extend the lead at the top of the RPL if they get the victory.
Form Guide
Rubin Kazan:
WDDWW
Points: 11 Position: 1st
Spartak Moscow:
DLWLW
Points: 7 Position: 7
Zenit St Petersburg - FC Khimki
Last week Zenit played away at Lokomotiv Moscow and the game ended in a 1-1 draw; following the game it was revealed that the St Petersburg side had fielded a total of seven foreign players at once – one more than allowed under league rules.
The latest news on that story is that Zenit got lucky and will not face the harshest punishment for breaking the limit on foreign players, the team will pay a fine, but the score of the game won’t be annulled.
FC Khimki got thrashed 3-0 at home by CSKA Moscow.
With news that heavy metal rockers Metallica will open Zenit’s new stadium next year with a rock concert;, the game against FC Khmiki will be chance for Zenit to deliver a mesmerising performance of their own with a win in front of their own fans at the Petrovski stadium.
While the arena is currently under construction, officials say football matches will not be played until 2011.
The stadium will be called ‘The Spaceship’ and built according to plans by the famous Japanese architect, Kisho Kurokawa, it will have a seating capacity of 62,000 people.
It’ll be equipped with a sliding field to keep the grass in good condition during the winter months
Zenit are undefeated so far this season while FC Khimki are dead last.
Form Guide
Zenit St Petersburg:
DWWDD
Points: 9 Position: 4
FC Khimki:
DLLLL
Points: 1 Position: 16
Dinamo Moscow - Kryliya Sovetov (Samara)
Fourth place takes on third place in this game as Dinamo Moscow tangle with Kryliya Sovetov.
Dinamo Moscow's good recent form took a slide as they where thrashed by Champions Rubin Kazan 3-0 last week.
The misery was compounded for Dinamo as one their own, midfielder Kirill Kombarov, put the ball through his own net in the 76th minute.
Dinamo Moscow dropped down to fourth place after being joint top the week before.Last week Kryliya Sovetov Samara where involved in a 0-0 draw against newly promoted Rostov.
Form Guide
Dinamo Moscow:
WWLWL
Points: 9 Position: 4
Kryliya Sovetov (Samara):
WWLWD
Points: 10 Position: 3
Terek Grozny - Saturn Moscow
Terek Grozny from Chechnya and the Aliens of Saturn Moscow battle it out for the control of the galaxy.
Well, the galaxy of the RPL mid-table positions anyway.Both teams have failed to win in their last two games.
The Russian Preview has seen at least one tenuous connection between Saturn and outer space every week, and one hopes this game produces a good atmosphere for the players and fans.
Form Guide
Terek Grozny: WDWLL
Points: 7 Position: 8
The Aliens:
LLWDL
Points: 4 Position: 13
Sunday
FC Moscow - Tom' Tomsk
Last week FC Moscow had Argentinian Hector Bracamonte to thank for securing a 1-0 win over the Aliens of Saturn Moscow.
"Braca" looks like a character; tall, bearded and bushy haired he does not resemble your typical short Argentinian urchin player.
Both of these teams are in decent form; FC Moscow have won their last two games and Tom Tomsk enjoyed a good result at home last week, beating Spartak Nalchik 1-0.
Form Guide
FC Moscow: LDDWW
Points: 8 Position: 6
Tom Tomsk: LWLDW
Points: 4 Position: 12
CSKA Moscow - FC Rostov-Na-Donu
The Army Men of CSKA Moscow helped themselves to a 3-0 away win over FC Khimki in their last outing.Serbian international Milos Krasic scored a hat-trick to help the Zico-coached side move up to second place only a point behind Rubin Kazan.
The Rostov-Na-Donu had to contend with a 0-0 draw at home to Kryliya Sovetov (Samara).The army boys should be too strategically organised and should have too much fire power for the Dons in this game.
Form Guide
CSKA Moscow:
WLDWW
Points: 10 Position: 2
FC Rostov-Na -Donu:
DDWLD Points: Position: 10
Spartak Nalchik - Amkar Perm'
Spartak Nalchick lost to Tom Tomsk 1-0 last round.Amkar Perm ended their horrid start to the season last week finally getting a win, when they beat the canaries of Kuban Krasnodar 1-0.
It looks like both these teams will spend most of the RPL season in the bottom half of the table.A win for either of these sides will go some way in negating that prediction.
Form Guide
Spartak Nalchik: LDLDL
Points: 2 Position: 15
Amkar Perm: DLDDW
Points: 6 Position: 11
Kuban Krasnodar - Lokomotiv Moscow
The canaries of Kuban where beaten by Amkar Perm last round 1-0 away. Kuban Krasnodar will be hoping to atone for their bad start of the season and treat their fans the “Kubantsy” to only their second win of the season.
The Railway men of Lokomotiv Moscow where lucky to escape with a draw last week against Zenit St Petersburg; as Zenit missed many chances and played with an extra man for the last 13 minutes.Lokomotiv could have received all three points as following the game it was revealed that Zenit had fielded a total of seven foreign players at once – one more than allowed under league rules.
However Zenit escaped with a fine only.
Form Guide
FC Kuban Krasnodar: LWLDL
Points: 4 Position: 14
Lokomotiv Moscow: DDWLD
Points: 6 Position: 12
Con Stamocostas, Goal.com
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