CSKA Moscow will hope to cut Zenit St Petersburg’s five-point lead at the top of the Russian Premier League when they host struggling Spartak Nalchik on Friday, while Samuel Eto’o’s Anzhi seek their first win since early September when they welcome Amkar on Saturday.
Zenit strolled to a 3-0 victory over Volga Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday evening, and would be looking to wrap up a second consecutive league title were the Russian season not to due to go into a play-off campaign after the winter break.
Dinamo Moscow, in third place, travel to Siberia to take on bottom club Tom Tomsk, who have not scored in 11 games.
Sameul Eto’o’s Anzhi Makhachkala will their five-game winless run will come to an end when they host Perm’s Amkar. Anzhi are in eight place, and a win would guarantee them a chance to battle for a European place in the play-offs.
The Russian Premier League is in transition as it switches from a summer to a winter season in a move to synchronize with European leagues. The regular season ends in November, and after a winter break, the top eight and the bottom eight separate to form two mini-leagues in which each team plays the other twice. Teams in the top league will fight for the championship and places in European competitions, while teams in the bottom league try to avoid relegation.
Teams in the top league will fight for the championship and places in European competitions, while teams in the bottom league try to avoid relegation.
But points earned by the end of the season will be transferred when the teams split into two leagues of eight, meaning teams still have everything to play for.
