Start Date: 17th July
Honours (14/15): Zenit St. Petersburg (League champions), Lokomotiv Moscow (Russian Cup winners)
Teams qualified for European football (15/16): Zenit St. Petersburg, CSKA Moscow (both UCL), Krasnodar, Rubin Kazan, Lokomotiv Moscow (all UEL)
It’s been a tumultuous summer for the country’s footballing landscape, starting with the FIFA arrests back in May, which led to fresh calls for Russia’s hosting of the World Cup in 2018 to be rescinded due to voting irregularities. While similar allegations have been fired the way of Qatar’s hosting four years later in 2022, the likelihood of Russia being put through the same amount of scrutiny is slim to none given the short notice, with qualification set to kick off next Autumn. While it looks like Russia have got off scot-free from a full investigation into the controversial vote, pressure will continually be ramped up over the next 3 years, focus that will also take particular notice of the Russian domestic season.
Back on the pitch, the Russian national side, who’s well publicised prime ambition of preparing for 2018 have continually struggled to well position themselves in qualification for the 2016 Euros. Despite a relatively favourable group, and an even more favourable progression criteria, Fabio Capello’s men are looking all but out of automatic contention already eventually costing the highly paid Italian his job in the hot seat, much to the pleasure of the Russian fan base. His wage has been a touchy subject in the media ever since his appointment 3 years ago, and it continues to this day after disclosure of his obscene severance package negotiated by the RFU.
The RFU themselves aren’t the only ones to have made big decisions over the summer in hope of a better national team picture. In the last week the Russian Sports Ministry, put forward a new scheme to reduce the number of foreign players playing in the domestic league in hope that it would boost the fortunes of the national side. A limit on playing overseas internationals has now been approved to be lowered from 7 to 6, which despite the almost unanimous backing from within the RFU has come under serious fire from plenty of the big clubs in Russia. RPL winning coach Andres Villas-Boas was quick to condemn the new ruling, claiming that the opposite will be felt from the desired plan to improve young Russian talent.
Current champions Zenit St. Petersburg are clearly the side most affected by the changes, however it’s not the only pressure being felt on Russia’s top sides. The downturn in the economy has forced Zenit amongst others to renegotiate ever more inflated salaries for its overseas stars such as last season’s top performer Brazilian striker Hulk. The economic pressures are clearly being felt across the league, with only one side (Spartak Moscow) spending more than £1 million on a single player in the current transfer window, while most have had to deal with free transfers and loan moves.
Zenit have been unusually quiet. In stark contrast to the last few summer transfer windows, they have only been able to bring through domestic players on free transfers but the real priority (for now at least) has been trying to hang on to the foreign stars they have for the rest of the window. Rumours have been circling that Belgian duo Axel Witsel and Nicholas Lombaerts are heading towards the exit door, while the form of Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon hasn’t gone by unnoticed by the rest of Europe.
If they were to exit, the squad looks thin on the ground, given out of favour legends Andrey Arshavin and Aleksandr Kerzhakov have left the club over the summer. The only bit of good news comes in the form of striker Artem Dzuyba, who arguably heads the way in an uneventful transfer period for the whole of the RPL. Initially expected to play second fiddle to Rondon, the physical striker has shown in fits and starts over the last couple of seasons that he’s well versed at providing the goods domestically. Europe again however, will be Zenit’s true test though. Given AvB’s squad's comfortable title victory last term, the Gazprom hierarchy in St. Petersburg will be expecting a much better showing in the upcoming UCL campaign, which Zenit will be seeded from the start of the group stages.
No such luck for CSKA Moscow, who despite clinching a preliminary UCL spot will feel quite deflated after a mediocre season last time around. A dismal early exit from the UCL was further compounded by a crawl of a season which was only saved in the latter months. Much more will be hoped for of Moscow despite another transfer window of inaction. The rumours may be circling that former goalscoring chief Seydou Doumbia could be returning to Moscow after his exit 6 months ago, however it’s in defence where the true test is surely to come given the increasing age of CSKA’s defensive pairing of Sergey Ignashevich, who turned 36 this week and Vasli Berezutski.
Long term coach Lenard Slutsky has been praised in many quarters for steadying the ship into the Champions League for another successive season, but they may find it difficult to make it through to the group stages this term, with the draw proving likely to pit them against some tough European opponents in two rounds of play off action. In all likelihood, Slutsky could have more on his plate come the start of their European campaign after strongly being linked with the national team job vacated by Capello, either to stay on with CSKA on a job share basis or to cut short his time with the Army men.
As far as other title contenders go, it’s hard to look past Zenit and CSKA. Moscow rivals’ Dinamo Moscow and Spartak Moscow generally threaten in pre-season before letting down many fans during the resulting campaigns. This year however, they couldn’t be further apart in their preparation. Big spending Dinamo have seen their financial dealings catch up with them, as they were excluded from this year’s Europa League under Financial Fair Play irregularities and have subsequently curbed their spending. Spartak on the other hand have been the only side to really make a financial dent in the transfer market bringing in Cape Verde international striker Ze Luis and attacking midfielder Ivelin Popov from Kuban for upwards of £4million a piece.
The main change however is seen in the dugout as Dmitri Alenichev took over as boss despite not being able to save his Arsenal Tula side from relegation last term. The former Spartak player who won the domestic title four times in the 90’s with the Red & Whites will be hoped to at least bring back European football to Spartak who underachieved drastically last term despite moving into their glitzy 45,000 capacity Otkrytiye Arena which in truth has rarely been anywhere near full. Armenian striker Yura Movsisyan remains at the club for now and will be supported in attack by the returning Roman Shirokov, a man who on his day could and maybe should catapult Spartak into top 3 contention.
Outside the usual suspects Krasnodar have shown in the last two years that they have all the capabilities to move Russia forward in the coming decade. They like others however have benefited heavily from a large foreign influence, especially through Brazilians; Ari, Wanderson & Joaozinho. Home recruits of the erratic Fedor Smolov and the versatile Dmitri Torbinski do on paper improve the squad in line with the new player restrictions, however they alongside CSKA will be resisting the RFU's glances towards their coach, as Oleg Kononov’s rising stock is being touted as an outside tip for the national job.
The RPL’s European contingent is completed by Lokomotiv Moscow (via their Cup victory) and Rubin Kazan (via Dinamo’s expulsion). Neither have improved their squad in the summer greatly to this point, Loko in particular are looking severely lightweight in attack after Roman Pavlyuchenko went the way of Dame N’Doye who exited earlier in the year, as he left the club on a free transfer. Increased pressure will be on the likes of Oumar Niasse, who scored in last week’s Super Cup loss to Zenit and Serb Petar Skuletic to supplement in the goalscoring department. A return to European football for Rubin, who usually punch above their weight in the competition may see a marked improvement in performances as they start to grow in a glamourous new stadium of their very own.
Waiting in the wings, Rostov, who only avoided relegation via the playoff system have it in them to return to greater form as Kurban Berdyev is kept on in the dugout. The signing of Cesar Navas from Rubin will give extra steel at the back, while loan signings further up the pitch in the shape of Zenit’s Pavel Mogilevets and coach favourite Sardar Azmoun provides a little more interest in a side that should finish way higher than their relegation tussling form of last term. Another side to watch for from the outside is Kuban Krasnodar after making a couple of high profile signings of their very own. The temperamental but at times majestic Andrey Arshavin has signed on a one year deal, while he’ll team up in the Kuban attack with highly rated CSKA starlet Konstantin Bazelyuk who joins on loan.
A final piece of bright news comes in the shape of promoted Anzhi Makhachkala who return to the RPL after one season away following relegation in 2014. Gone are the heady days of title contention and ludicrous spending, with expectations considerably levelled since the sudden riches to rags story of two seasons ago. The returning squad looks a more than adequate one on paper that should compete in the top half; returning from loan international full back Andrey Eshchenko is a class act, while the cut price big name signings of Hugo Almeida and Lukman Haruna also suggest it could be a promising year for the Dagestan based club.
Ones to Watch:
Danny (Zenit St. Petersburg) – After playing out his contract last season, Danny returns to Zenit after not quite achieving the offers he once desired away from the Petrovski. In previous season’s he’d have had to come back grovelling, but given Zenit’s precarious positioning in terms of potential outgoings, the champions could once again rely on his dependable creativity.
Ivelin Popov (Spartak Moscow) – Often tempted by big names from Western Europe, Spartak have put their faith in a less recognisable name with a greater wealth of domestic experience to move them back into RPL contention. Popov has inspired Kuban’s attacking line over the last couple of seasons, can he now replicate this with Moscow?
Andrey Arshavin (Kuban Krasnodar) – Once a Zenit legend, his reputation was tarnished by a lack of effort in his second spell with the club which ended in the summer. With a potential last hurrah with Kuban to come, it’s to be seen whether he takes up the mantle to illustrate the qualities he truly has for a last time back in Russia.
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