Former captain of St. Petersburg Zenit and the Russian national team, Andrei Arshavin, spoke on Match TV about the current season. He noted that it feels odd to see another club sitting above Zenit in the Russian Premier League standings, a sight that stands out against Zenit’s traditional position at the top of the table.
Arshavin pointed out that Zenit should use the recent win against Sochi to regain momentum. He suggested the club needs to close the gap with Krasnodar and begin to erase the earlier deficit, understanding that every point matters as the season progresses.
In his assessment, the squad has faced challenges. The departure of Malcom and Daler Kuzyaev, the absence of Wendel, and Rodrigao’s defensive inconsistencies have all contributed to a difficult stretch. The season has demanded resilience, a grind that has led to unavoidable drops in points. While Zenit has long been considered the undisputed leader, Arshavin underscored that a moment could arise when victory is not guaranteed, and teams can catch up if they capitalize on opportunities.
Zenit recently won a Russian Cup RPL Path match against Baltika Kaliningrad with a 2:1 scoreline. Ivan Sergeev and Eduardo Queiroz found the net for Zenit, while Kristijan Bistrović replied for Baltika. The result underscores the competitive nature of the Cup ties, where every team pushes hard for a place in the next round.
Looking at the current Russian Premier League standings, Sergei Semak’s team sits in fourth place on 17 points. The upcoming schedule includes an away match against Sochi in the 11th round, with kickoff scheduled for 14:00 Moscow time on October 7. The fixture will test Zenit’s readiness to surge back into the top positions as the campaign unfolds, and it will be watched closely by fans in Russia and abroad who follow the club’s fortunes with keen interest.
Earlier, Orlov offered his own perspective on Zenit’s recent shortcomings. His comments highlighted how the club’s performance has been put under the microscope as the squad navigates a demanding schedule and the pressure to maintain the high standards traditionally associated with Zenit.