The Matchday 1 clash of the Winline Winter Cup RPL between Spartak and Krasnodar will take place on January 30 at the Al-Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Spartak vs. Krasnodar: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Yevgeny Kukulyak (Russia)
Matches – 5 (RPL, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 17;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.4;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 0%.
Spartak
Dejan Stankovic's side ended the first part of the season on a high, securing six consecutive victories in the Premier League, four of which were by large margins. With a total of 37 points, Spartak climbed to third place in the standings, becoming serious contenders for the championship – trailing leaders Krasnodar and Zenit by just two points. The only disappointment before the break was their exit from the main draw of the Russian Cup, but the club will continue to compete in the regional path of the tournament.
Ahead of the start of the Winline Winter Cup RPL, Spartak played one friendly match, drawing 3-3 with Chernomorets. Notably, during the winter, goalkeeper Alexander Selikhov, defender Tomas Tavares, and forward Willian Jose left the team.
- The team has not lost in their last nine friendly matches (6 wins, 3 draws).
- At least three goals were scored in 9 of the club's last 11 friendly encounters.
- The Moscow side scored at least three times in 7 of their last 9 friendly games.
Krasnodar
Murad Musayev's team is preparing for the second part of the season as the current league leaders. Krasnodar remained unbeaten in the first 16 rounds, but the period before the winter break was less successful – a series of four matches without a win (3 draws, 1 loss). In the standings, the club is level with Zenit on points (39 each) but leads due to additional indicators. Krasnodar also continues to compete in the Russian Cup, with a quarter-final clash against Akhmat in the regional path ahead.
Before the start of the Winline Winter Cup RPL, Krasnodar played a friendly match against Chinese club Chengdu Rongcheng, ending in a 1-1 draw.
- The club has not lost in 10 of their last 11 friendly matches (7 wins, 3 draws).
- Both teams scored in 4 of the team's last 5 friendly games.
- Krasnodar scored at least two goals in 8 of their last 11 friendly matches.
Predicted lineups for Spartak vs. Krasnodar
Spartak (4-3-3): Alexander Maksimenko – Srdjan Babic, Daniil Denisov, Alexis Duarte, Oleg Ryabchuk – Danil Prutsev, Nail Umyarov, Ezequiel Barco – Theo Bongonda, Marquinhos, Manfred Ugalde.
Krasnodar (4-2-3-1): Stanislav Agkatsev – Sergey Petrov, Diego Enrique Costa, Vitor Tormena, Lucas Olasa – Kevin Lenini, Alexander Chernikov – Joao Bachi, Eduard Spertsyan, Victor Sa – John Cordoba.
Spartak vs. Krasnodar: Match Prediction
This season, Spartak has excelled in attack: Dejan Stankovic's team emphasizes this aspect of the game and aims to spend a lot of time on the offensive. Spartak's scoring prowess is impressive: with 36 goals, they trail only Zenit and Dynamo Moscow (37 each) in the current RPL season. Moreover, the club has scored in their last five official matches, scoring at least three goals in all but one.
Krasnodar experienced a slight dip just before the winter break, but overall, they have been strong in attack this season. In 8 of their last 10 matches in the league and Russian Cup, Murad Musayev's team has breached the opposition's defense, scoring at least twice in six of those games. In the current Premier League season, Krasnodar is just behind Spartak in terms of goals scored (34).
I expect the opponents to deliver an exciting and high-scoring game, so my prediction: Both teams to score – yes
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