Valery Masalitin on CSKA Moscow’s prospects in the Russian Premier League
Valery Masalitin, the renowned former Soviet and Russian forward who spent a substantial portion of his career with CSKA Moscow, recently weighed in on the army club’s expectations for the current Russian Premier League season. In a candid commentary shared with socialbites.ca, Masalitin described CSKA as a leading force in the early phase of the campaign. He pointed out that Krasnodar will need to stop leaking points if the race for medals remains tight, suggesting that any continued poor form from Krasnodar could open the door for CSKA to contend for top honors. (socialbites.ca)
Masalitin underscored the delicate balance in the title race, noting that the season’s outcome hinges on Krasnodar’s upcoming performances. If Krasnodar falters, CSKA could be drawn into the battle for awards. Conversely, if Krasnodar regroups and gathers momentum, the path to medals for the army team would become more challenging. (socialbites.ca)
Looking at the spring portion of the season, CSKA had a mixed run. A 1-1 home draw against Orenburg left the club frustrated after a late extra time, followed by a 2-0 victory over Krylia Sovetov in Samara. After the winter break, Krasnodar again experienced a setback with a 1-1 home result against Rubin Kazan, before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Rostov in Rostov-on-Don. These results left Krasnodar with 39 points from 20 rounds, marginally ahead of Petersburg-based teams in the standings as CSKA trailed with 32 points in the fourth position. The race for higher spots remained open as Spartak and Lokomotiv continued to chase in the 20th round, with Zenit and other clubs still to face decisive fixtures. (socialbites.ca)
The narrative around CSKA’s form had already become clear before these matches, with the club having defeated Krylia Sovetov earlier in the season, a result that reinforced expectations for its title challenge and European ambitions. The overall table tension reflected the evolving dynamics of the league, where every result could shift the balance among a tightly contested bunch of teams. (socialbites.ca)