CSKA AND RUBIN BATTLE IN SUPER CUP

With the start of the Rosgosstrakh Championship of Russia less than two weeks off, hopes flourish across the league in what has the makings of one of the most exciting campaigns in recent memory.


The hands down winner in the transfer market have been CSKA Moscow who upheld club president Evgeniy Giner's promise to load the Army-Men with talent. Leonid Slutsky's has the benefit of what on paper is one of the most attacking laden units in recent memory adding Keisuke Honda and Seydou Doumbia to the mix to go with Mark González, Tomáš Necid, Alan Dzagoev and Miloš Krasić. Along with solid defending and the stalwart work of ‘keeper Igor Akinfeev, CSKA supporters eagerly look to the new year as a chance to return the championship to their side.

After Rubin Kazan's two consecutive championships, manager Kurban Berdyev has many thinking his Tatarstan side is capable of entering the world of dynasty lore with another title. However, Rubin has been quiet in the transfer market, despite losing sharpshooter Alejandro Domínguez to Valencia, with Fatih Tekke set to join from Zenit Saint Petersburg at the end of August, and could be light on the bench within attacking vision.

Russian football fans will get a sneak peak of the upcoming campaign as CSKA and Rubin clash on 7 March in the Russian Super Cup at Luzhniki Stadium in a repeat of last years encounter that the Army-Men 2-1 via an added time goal by Tomáš Necid.

CSKA, after a superb run in the friendlies, looked disjointed against Sevilla in Champions League play before Mark González saved a draw with a booming strike. Rubin's early start have seen they comfortably advance past Hapoel Tel-Aviv in the Europa League's round of sixteen to face Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg. Early season results aside, CSKA has made a habit of winning the Super Cup, four trophies since the original contest in 2003 but you can expect a heated battle from Rubin who are looking to open their run for hardware in 2010.