Spartak Moscow’s defender Srdjan Babic answered a pressing question about which opponent matters most in the Russian Premier League: CSKA or Zenit. His response, relayed by the club’s press service, underscored a broader strategic view for the campaign ahead.
“Neither one—CSKA nor Zenit—holds the decisive weight for me. I believe that winning the title hinges on beating the other strong sides in the league with steady, confident performances. Matches against teams like Ural, Orenburg, Fakel, and Akhmat are where the championship is won or lost, and we’ve dropped too many points in those battles,” Babic stated with clarity and focus.
Currently, Spartak sits in fifth place in the Russian Premier League standings. The red-and-white, guided by Guillermo Abascal, have accumulated 31 points and sit just one point behind CSKA in fourth place. The team is preparing for the 20th round, with the upcoming match against Fakel Voronezh scheduled to kick off at 19:00 Moscow time on March 10.
At the top of the table, Zenit leads after a commanding 4:1 victory over Ural in their 20th-round clash. Sergei Semak’s squad holds 40 points, maintaining a comfortable lead. Krasnodar, who fell 1:2 to Rostov in the same round, remains one point behind the leaders. Dinamo Moscow moved into the top three after an emphatic 2:0 win over Akhmat Grozny, reaching 38 points.
Throughout the season, discussions about adjustments to RPL regulations have circulated, with fans and analysts watching closely for any formal changes that could influence the championship race, relegation battles, and the overall competitive balance of the league. Spartak’s management and players appear focused on maximizing performance on the pitch, recognizing that the league’s shifting dynamics demand consistency, resilience, and smart squad management as the campaign unfolds.
Beyond results, the campaign has highlighted the importance of maintaining depth in the squad, managing fixture congestion, and capitalizing on moments of tactical advantage. The club continues to push for a relentless, fight-to-the-last-breath approach, aiming to turn proximity to the leaders into momentum that can close the gap in the standings as the season progresses. In particular, the ability to translate opportunities from the run of play into decisive goals will be critical in the upcoming fixtures and in the battle for a higher seed in the table as the spring stretch unfolds.
Fans are watching the schedule with keen interest, aware that each match contributes to the unfolding narrative of the season. The team remains committed to a constructive path forward, emphasizing disciplined defense, sharp counterattacks, and clinical finishing in front of goal. As the league table evolves, Spartak’s aspiration to climb higher rests on sustaining form, producing consistent performances against both title challengers and rival teams, and leveraging the collective strength of the squad to deliver results that translate into valuable points in the standings.