Spartak Moscow (home)
- Spartak reached the final after a tense semi-final win on penalties against Zenit.
- Spartak are 4th with 45 points from 25 games.
- They beat Lokomotiv in April to maintain momentum.
- Juan Carlos Carcedo’s side play a pro-active, possession-based style with flexible interchanging.
CSKA Moscow (away)
- CSKA reached the final after a 5-2 win over Krylya Sovetov.
- CSKA are 6th with 43 points from 25 games.
- Fabio Celestini’s side are disciplined, compact and can transition quickly into vertical attacks.
- They press in blocks and are dangerous on the counter with creative midfielders and pacey finishers.
Spartak
Ezequiel Barco is the creative spark in Spartak’s engine room and often helps create chances.
CSKA
CSKA’s creative midfielders and pacey finishers are central to their threat on the break.
Head-to-Head
The last five meetings between these two have been split evenly and decided by one-goal margins.
Betting Insights
- Bookmakers price Spartak at 1.83, CSKA at 4.73, and the draw at 3.8.
- Both teams to score is priced at 1.79.
- Spartak are a slight favorite given the home game and recent momentum.
Prediction
- Expect a close, competitive Moscow derby with an open game.
- We’ll side with Spartak to just nick it, while CSKA’s counterattacking intensity could cause an upset.
- Both teams have a good chance to score.
