CSKA Moscow
- Swiss boss Fabio Celestini has instilled a high-quality, high-tempo system at CSKA that includes a lot of pressing, fluidity in possession and verticality from the full-backs in attack, but organisation and defensive discipline are also a feature of his side.
- They sit near the top of the Russian Premier League with around 33 points from 15 matches.
Dynamo Makhachkala
- His opposite number Khasanbi Bidzhiyev has taken Dynamo in another direction, creating a disciplined, defence-first team since their promotion.
- Makhachkala are a compact team that sets up a five-man defense and lets the game come to them, giving up the ball and looking to punish the opposition on the counter.
Head-to-Head
- CSKA have won three of their last four competitive games against Dynamo Makhachkala, conceding only once.
- Their home win in the first-leg against CSKA was no fluke, but an extension of this campaign in which they have made a cup run to the quarter-final stage - this gives further weight to our CSKA Moscow vs FC Dynamo Makhachkala prediction.
Key Players
- Vladislav Torop has come in and done a good job in Igor Akinfeev’s absence and his presence could be key for the hosts, while Razhab Magomedov, who scored Dynamo’s winning penalty in the cup first-leg, is a cool customer on the ball.
- Ivan Oblyakov is CSKA’s engine in midfield, capable of providing both a goalscoring threat and a delivery, while youthful wingers Kirill Glebov and Matvey Kislyak have provided the late runs and finishing power in the recent wins over Krylya Sovetov and Nizhny.
Betting Insights
- CSKA Moscow are strong favorites for this Wednesday’s return game against FC Dynamo Makhachkala in the Cup 2025-2026 at around 1.78, but the visitors have given themselves a fair chance of an upset after a superb first-leg home win. This is reflected in the latest CSKA Moscow vs FC Dynamo Makhachkala betting tips from experts.
- The Premier League side are almost as big underdogs at 5.39, with the draw priced at around 3.66. Considering these odds, our CSKA Moscow vs FC Dynamo Makhachkala betting tips suggest monitoring the market for possible movement before kickoff.
Prediction
- The hosts are the superior team and should have enough to overturn Dynamo’s one-goal aggregate advantage with a narrow win, but we believe Bidzhiyev’s team, with their solid, cup pedigree, have enough in their locker to keep the tie alive.
- Our correct score prediction of a 1-0 CSKA win reflects their need to score and the likelihood that Dynamo will not be able to keep them out all game.
- Our overall prediction, however, is ‘Under 2.5 goals’ at 1.7, which looks a strong play here given three of the last four meetings have finished 1-0 and both sides have kept multiple clean sheets in recent meetings.
