Super Cup winners Zenit will have fuss-free opener
The 2021/2022 edition of the Russian Premier League gets underway at the weekend, and champions Zenit St. Petersburg, fresh from their resounding 3-0 Super Cup win over Lokomotiv Moscow, are odds-on at the outset to retain their title. First up for their is an away trip to Khimki on the outskirts of the capital city. Krasno-chyornye are not expected to pull up any trees this season, and are therefore ideal opponents, if such a thing truly exists, for Sergei Semak's all-conquering troops. Read our preview here:
The life of Brian
Former Tajikistan international Igor Cherevchenko only has a modest budget to work with at his current club, which is reflected in the transfer dealings to date. The churn has been significant, and marked by a focus on acquiring younger players on loans from larger top tier rivals and free transfers from second tier sides; the only exceptions to this policy have both been at left-back, with Brian Idowu, capped 10 times by Nigeria, the oldest signing by far at 29. His naturally attacking instincts will likely be curbed at least for the opener, where he and his compatriots in defence will be protected by a wall of five in midfield, reflecting the gulf in ability on paper between the two clubs. Senin Sarbai has yet to score for Khimki since arriving last year from Tobol in Kazakhstan, and that is unlikely to change on Saturday as he will be ploughing a very lone furrow indeed during open play.
Full Azmoun
Having recently lost goalkeeper Andrey Lunev on a free to Bundesliga stalwarts Bayer Leverkusen, Semak will doubtlessly be in the market for a replacement; stand-in Mikhail Kerzhakov has tended to be a bit-part custodian for much of his career since leaving the Icarus-like Anzhi Makhachkala 'project' seven years ago. Elsewhere, winger Malcolm is at the Olympic Games in Tokyo with Brazil, and he will be the only absentee for the maiden league encounter. Russia endured a very poor Euro 2020 overall, but striker Artem Dzyuba is a flat-track bully domestically, and moreover, will have ample support in the form of Iranian hotshot Sardar Azmoun. The 26 year old will be hoping to spearhead his national side to qualification and a greater cutting edge at the World Cup in Qatar in November 2022, but for the time being, he'll do his chances no harm whatsoever by feeding off one of the strongest aerial target men in world football, and has already netted this season in the aforementioned Super Cup.
Semak in the chops
For Semak, the minimum expectation is for Zenit to retain the title, which they ought to do at a canter. The real focus will be on the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, where a far better return than one point from their pool will be demanded this time around, almost regardless of their future opponents from September onwards. Whilst Khimki will try to make life difficult in the here and now, there's little case to be made for an upset. Indeed, bet365 have odds of 2.20 for an away win and a clean sheet for the visitors from St. Petersburg.
