In the build up to the first quarterfinal clash of the Russian Cup, the Zenit St. Petersburg team was linked with a provocative Telegram channel post from Dynamo fans, branded with a sticker pack reading, You’ve hit rock bottom. The moment underscored a charged atmosphere as fans anticipate a decisive duel between two Russian football giants.
The controversy began with a local ritual: residents of St. Petersburg urged followers to click on a particular image that leads to a sequence ending with the number 2458. This number is associated with an offensive chant aimed at Dynamo supporters. Even before this incident, the blue-whites had publicized the upcoming meeting with Zenit by sharing a widely circulated drowning child meme, a post that drew strong reactions online.
On the visual material, the caption insisted, Let’s support Dinamo with the whole country, a call to rally behind the team across the nation.
The match between Dynamo and Zenit is scheduled for November 29, with kickoff set for 18:15 Moscow time. The return leg is planned for March 2024, and will take place in St. Petersburg, continuing the home-and-away rhythm of the cup ties.
Alongside the Dynamo–Zenit fixture, other quarterfinals will feature Baltika against Lokomotiv on November 28, Orenburg versus Spartak, and Rostov versus CSKA on November 29, expanding the lineup of high-stakes clashes across multiple venues.
Additionally, quarterfinal games in the regional path are slated for March 2024, with SKA-Khabarovsk facing Sochi, Rodina meeting Ural, Khimki clashing with Krasnodar, and Volgar playing against Akhmat. Each pairing carries implications for the teams’ seasons and their standing in Russian football’s evolving landscape.
CSKA is noted as the current holder of the Russian Cup, a distinction achieved through previous campaigns and a marker of the competition’s competitive depth. In commentary surrounding these ties, former players and analysts have reflected on the dynamic between St. Petersburg clubs and Moscow powerhouses, highlighting the rivalry’s enduring appeal and its impact on fan culture and national attention.
Earlier remarks from Andrey Arshavin suggested a belief that the St. Petersburg side had helped lift Dynamo from the brink, a statement that adds to the narrative of retracing and revisiting past struggles as the current season unfolds. The dialogue around the cup this year underscores the emotional stakes for supporters and the symbolic significance of each quarterfinal result.