Nikolai Pisarev, who coaches Russia’s national team, commented on the lineup expected to compete in St. Petersburg, noting that his squad could test its mettle against Zenit and that a strong show from CSKA would be a welcome development. He also mentioned Spartak as a potential challenger and expressed hope for Lokomotiv to continue its ascent. In his view, several Moscow clubs are capable of challenging Zenit this season.
Zenit, guided by Sergei Semak, clinched the Russian Premier League title ahead of schedule following the end of the 30th round, marking the team’s fifth straight league crown. The victory cements Zenit’s dominant run at the peak of Russian football this campaign.
In second place sits CSKA Moscow. Vladimir Fedotov’s squad collected 58 points from 30 league matches, trailing the leaders by a comfortable margin. The top three finish is completed by Spartak Moscow, who sit on 54 points as the season nears its close, adding a sense of drama to the remaining fixtures in the campaign.
Earlier reports indicated that former Spartak Moscow coach Oleg Romantsev broke silence regarding the club’s end-of-season performance and the trajectory for Moscow’s red-and-white side. Romantsev suggested the squad could still finish inside the top three of the Russian Premier League after the 2022/23 campaign saw a stretch of strong results and enduring potential for improvement. This perspective underscores the ongoing discussions about how the season will unfold for the capital clubs and their ambitions in domestic competition. [Source: Russian Premier League season summaries 2022/23 and contemporary post-season analyses]