An early statement of intent
Two sides who operate at the polar opposites of the football spectrum come together on Sunday in a clash that means a little more than any other game on the opening weekend, as both sides will be keen to lay down a marker in this season’s Premier League. For those interested, our FK Rubin Kazan vs FK Zenit St. Petersburg preview provides a great look at what to expect from this matchup.
FK Rubin Kazan are a slow, methodical and pragmatic side who prioritise keeping their shape defensively and look to catch teams out on the counter attack, whilst FK Zenit St. Petersburg are high tempo, positive and love to press their opposition in the final third.
Sergey Semak has instilled a philosophy that sees FK Zenit St. Petersburg attempt to dominate possession and put pressure on the opposition’s goal at every opportunity. This style of play has proven successful for the club over the years under his tenure and he is responsible for a lot of the domestic success enjoyed by the club.
An interesting matchup on paper
Rashid Rakhimov’s Rubin Kazan are more of a defence-first side who can be stubborn and frustrating for teams to break down on their day, but ultimately it’s a system that leaves them vulnerable when the ball is won back quickly.
With this in mind, this FK Rubin Kazan vs FK Zenit St. Petersburg prediction could very well hinge on small details, as Rubin look to keep things tight and Zenit look to stretch the game vertically and play with tempo. To add more context, the FK Rubin Kazan vs FK Zenit St. Petersburg odds reflect a close matchup despite stylistic differences.
Zenit will win but don’t discount a stubborn Rubin Kazan
With Zenit being the odds on favourites at 2.20 and Rubin Kazan 3.71, it’s obvious where we’re going to be heading on this one and that’s with the visitors. However, the FK Rubin Kazan vs FK Zenit St. Petersburg prediction suggests that Rubin Kazan will make this a tight match and as such, the Under 2.5 goals market looks a good fit.
Luiz Henrique is the man to watch for Zenit in the front-line and he’s been in good scoring form recently, hitting four of their last 11 goals in their previous five outings. Mirlind Daku has been Rubin’s main man in recent times, netting 4 of their last 7 goals in the past 5 matches across all competitions.
For further insights, these FK Rubin Kazan vs FK Zenit St. Petersburg betting tips can help you make informed decisions for the match outcome.
