The Matchday 12 clash in the Russian Premier League between Rubin and Baltika will take place on October 19 at the Ak Bars Arena in Kazan. Rubin vs. Baltika: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rubin
In the previous round, Rubin secured a 2-0 home victory against Krylia Sovetov. This was only their second win in the last six league matches (2 draws, 2 losses). However, the three points helped Rubin climb into the upper half of the league table. Notably, the match against Samara was Rubin's best of the season in terms of shots on target – 8 (average 4.2). Additionally, the team has scored in 17 of their last 19 Premier League matches.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 5 of Rubin's last 7 league matches.
- At home, the team has avoided defeat in 13 of their last 14 Premier League matches (11 wins, 2 draws).
- In 11 of their last 14 home games in this tournament, Rubin has not conceded more than one goal.
Predicted lineup for Rubin (3-5-2)
Evgeny Staver – Egor Teslenko, Igor Vujacic, Anderson Arroyo – Veldin Hodja, Ugochukwu Iwu, Bogdan Jocic, Daler Kuzyaev, Konstantin Nizhegorodov – Dardan Shabanhadjaj, Mirlin Daku.
Defenders Denil Maldonado, Alexey Gritsaenko, and midfielder Anton Shvets are injured.
Baltika
Baltika also achieved a 2-0 victory in the last round against Dynamo Makhachkala. This was their first win in the last four league matches (2 draws, 1 loss). Furthermore, Baltika kept a clean sheet for the sixth time in the 2025/26 RPL season, a feat unmatched by any other team. Additionally, the club has conceded only six goals since the start of the tournament, setting a record for league newcomers. In the overall standings, Baltika has climbed to 5th place.
- At least one opponent failed to score in Baltika's last 6 league matches.
- Away from home in this tournament, the team has avoided defeat in 5 of their last 6 matches (3 wins, 2 draws).
- In 7 of their last 9 away Premier League games, the club scored exactly 1 or 2 goals.
Predicted lineup for Baltika (4-5-1)
Maxim Borisko – Sergey Varatynov, Nathan Gassama, Alexander Filin, Mingiyan Beveev – Vladislav Saus, Yuri Kovalev, Ilya Petrov, Nikolay Titkov, Maxim Petrov – Bryan Gil.
Midfielder Andrey Mendel is injured.
Referee
Ivan Saraev (Russia)
Matches – 12 (RPL and First League, 2024/25 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 52;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.3;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 25%.
Rubin vs. Baltika: Match Prediction
Baltika continues to display excellent defensive performances. The team not only set a record for goals conceded by newcomers after 11 rounds, but they also currently have the best defensive stats overall. Notably, Baltika has faced all Moscow teams and Zenit, with these high-caliber opponents scoring just three goals against them. However, Baltika has struggled to score in 3 of their last 4 Premier League matches.
Rubin also shows solid defensive form, particularly at home. They have not conceded more than one goal in 11 of their last 14 home league matches. Moreover, Rubin managed to keep a clean sheet in 7 of those games. While the team has no issues with scoring, they find it challenging to break through well-organized defenses. For instance, they narrowly defeated Makhachkala, thanks to a penalty goal.
My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
