SPARTAK TAKES ON DYNAMO ON SUNDAY

Russian Premier League Week 1 program will finish with four matches on Sunday with Spartak vs. Dynamo Moscow derby being the main attraction of the day.


Sibir Novosibirsk v Terek Grozny

The opening match on Sunday has newly promoted Sibir Novosibirsk welcome Terek Grozny to the chilly confines of Spartak Stadium.

Despite flirting with relegation last season, Chechnya's Terek Grozny fine stable of talent have them on paper able to contest for a mid-table finish. Combining always-dangerous playmaker Blagoy Georgiev with veteran striker Hector Bracamonte, assuming he is fully fit, Grozny will cause a number of surprises. Anatoly Baidachny's side have unloaded Romanian's Andrei Mărgăritescu, Daniel Pancu and Florentin Petre and made the superb additions of Maurício from Fluminense, Hugo Báez from CSKA Sofia as well Spartak Nalchik trio, Antonio Ferreira, Dmitriy Yatchenko and Shamil Asildarov.

Sibir Novosibirsk enters the top flight of Russian football for the first time in its history and facing a yearlong fight to avoid relegation. Manager Igor Kriushenko tactical approach will be tested as his Siberian side is lacking in overall talent. Novosibirsk will need veteran strikers Alexandr Antipenko, Alexey Medvedev and Gennadiy Bliznyuk to produce if they are to have a chance. In Sunday’s match, unquestionably weather will be highly influential as mid March in Siberia will see temperatures well below freezing.

Rubin Kazan v Lokomotiv Moscow

In one of the weekend’s most exciting matches, Yuriy Semin's Lokomotiv Moscow visit defending champions Rubin Kazan.

Kurban Berdyev's Rubin Kazan has adjusted with the loss of striker Alejandro Domínguez to Valencia with the addition of Fatih Tekke from Zenit Saint Petersburg but otherwise been quiet in their acquisitions compared to his competition. Last year the manager was brilliant in juggling his line-up but Rubin faces considerable challenges this year with heavier demands that includes this past Thursdays Europa League test against VfL Wolfsburg.

As with other managerial success stories, Anatoliy Davydov, Leonid Slutsky and Valeriy Karpin, this past May saw the triumphant return of Yuriy Semin to Lokomotiv Moscow from Dynamo Kiev. Under the guise of the Peoples Coach, the Railwaymen were nothing short of brilliant in rising to the fourth spot despite a number of personnel shortfalls. After the departure of Diniyar Bilyaletdinov’s to Everton, Dmitriy Sychev and Denis Glushakov picked up the slack and provided brilliant leadership. The further addition of Wágner quickly proved to be a masterstroke with Alan Gatagov quickly developing into one of Russia’s top teen products. In a last minute signing raid, Mr. Semin has bolstered his side with Branko Ilič from FC Moskva and exciting attacker Maicon from Fluminense of the Brasileirão. Striker Peter Odemwingie is finally playing up to his vast potential and should he and new additional, Ukrainian international Oleksandr Aliyev have the type of years they are capable of, Lokomtiv will threaten for a Champions League spot.

Alania Vladikavkaz v Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast

In one of the weekend’s more interesting contests, Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast visits Alania Vladikavkaz.

Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast, who soared once Andrey Gordeev took over from Jürgen Röber are targeting a top six finish. The Ramenskoe-based side boast a impressive veteran line-up of Dmitriy Loskov, Andrei Karyaka, Dmitriy Kirichenko and Marko Topić and with the additions of Denis Boyarintsev and Martin Jakubko are more than capable of testing a spot in Europe.

Alania Vladikavkaz benefited from FC Moscow's fall and return to the top flight of Russian football after five years in the lower division. Vladimir Shevchuk's side have acted quickly, adding Sani Kaita, on loan from AS Monaco, as well as CSKA Sofia duo Ivan Ivanov and Ivan Stoyanov but will need to squeeze out points against lower tier sides to avoid relegation in what will be a challenging season.

Spartak Moscow v Dynamo Moscow

The final match of Sunday sets the stage for the Moscow derby between Spartak and Dynamo at Luzhniki Stadium.

Finishing second last year, Spartak Moscow was led by virtuoso Valeriy Karpin who immediately injected a youthful flourish to the Krasno-belye. Resurrecting visions of the legendary Oleg Romantsev, Spartak responded to the new leader with scoring machine Welliton terrorizing the opposition as the leagues top goal-scorer. Along with teen protégé's Pavel Yakovlev and Jano Ananidze, and Alex, who displayed an uncanny attacking vision, Spartak have added Ari from AZ, along with the return Artem Dzyuba and Alexandr Prudnikov from loan assignment. Spartak line-up have shored up defending with Marek Suchý on loan from Slavia Praha and Nikola Drinčić from Amkar Perm, though the latter is out with long term injury.

Dynamo Moscow return to the hunt for a top six finish after a disappointing second half last year that that saw them drift to a eighth place finish. Besieged with Troubled with injury problems, White-Blues manager Andrey Kobelev was challenged at times merely to field a proper line-up and have clearly prioritized depth this winter. Dynamo has been one of the biggest winners in the acquisition market this winter with the formidable additions of Russian international Alexey Rebko as well as Alexandru Epureanu, Alexandr Samedov and Edgaras Česnauskis from FC Moscow, Andriy Voronin from Liverpool as well as return of veteran Igor Semshov from Zenit Saint Petersburg.