Artem Dzyuba, the well-known forward from Lokomotiv Moscow, recently shared moments from a gathering that highlighted his long association with Zenit St. Petersburg. In a video captured at the event, Dzyuba is seen singing a popular fan song dedicated to St. Petersburg, a city that has played a significant role in his football journey. The clip underscores not just his musical moment but also the enduring ties that players sometimes maintain with former clubs and their city connections off the pitch.
Also present at the party was Leonid Slutsky, a figure with a storied coaching career who previously led CSKA and Rubin Kazan. Slutsky’s presence adds a layer of nostalgia to the gathering, reflecting how coaches and players from different eras of Russian football often cross paths in the current landscape, sharing experiences and insights from their time in the sport’s top circles.
During his seven-year stint with Zenit, Dzyuba established himself as a central figure for the club. His tenure saw Zenit clinch the Russian Championship title on four occasions and win the National Cup twice, cementing his status as one of the team’s most prolific attackers of his generation. Across those years, he distinguished himself as the top scorer in the Russian Premier League on two separate occasions, a testament to his consistent goal-scoring prowess and impact in Russia’s top flight.
In the current campaign, Dzyuba has featured in 16 Russian Championship matches and four National Cup fixtures, contributing four goals and four assists. His production mirrors his previously established reliability as a forward who can influence outcomes across different competitions. In the preceding season, he shared the honor of being the club’s top scorer with Wilson Isidore and Anton Miranchuk, both of whom were limited to portions of the season, underscoring Dzyuba’s continued relevance in the squad and his ability to compete for goal-marking honors alongside teammates returning from spells elsewhere.
Entering the season’s winter pause, Lokomotiv sits in fourth place in the standings, having accumulated 31 points. With the Russian Premier League taking a winter break, the league will resume play in March, and the calendar moves toward its second half. The upcoming slate includes the 19th round, which launches with an away challenge against Dinamo Moscow for the red-green side. The break provides an opportunity for players to regroup, manage fitness, and prepare for a stretch run that could influence the final allocations in the table and the clubs’ ambitions for domestic silverware and European qualification.
Earlier in the season, Dzyuba had been recognized for his performance in Europe, where his contributions helped keep him among the notable goalkeepers’ top contenders in the Europa League group stage discussions. His involvement at that level highlighted the broader scope of his career, underscoring his experience on both domestic and continental stages and the value he brings to Lokomotiv Moscow as a veteran presence capable of adapting across competitions and formats.