Rostov Form
After beating Pari NN away from home in the last round (1:0), the team ended a four-match winless run in the league (1 draw, 3 defeats). In doing so, the Rostov side kept a clean sheet for the 10th time this season, with only four opponents recording more shutouts. However, Jonatan Alba's men have looked very modest in front of goal – they have scored just 18 goals, with only Dinamo Makhachkala (14) having a worse attacking record. In the standings, the club sits 10th, four points clear of the relegation play-off zone.
- No more than two goals were scored in 15 of Rostov's last 17 Premier League matches.
- On home soil, the team have failed to win 6 of their last 7 league matches (3 draws, 3 defeats).
- In 9 of the last 10 home games in the Russian Premier League, the club have conceded no more than one goal.
Potential Rostov Lineup (3-5-2)
Rustam Yatimov – Dmitry Chistyakov, David Semenchuk, Viktor Melekhin – Ilya Vakhaniya, Mohammad Mohebi, Kirill Shchetinin, Alexey Mironov, Konstantin Kuchaev – Timur Suleymanov, Ronaldo.
Forward Egor Golenkov is suspended.
Spartak Moscow Form
The derby against Lokomotiv in the last round went the way of Juan Carcedo's side (2:1), marking Spartak's fourth win in their last five Premier League matches (1 defeat). It is worth noting that in every victory during this spell, the team scored at least twice. Overall, the Moscow club have 37 goals to their name – the fifth-best attacking record in the competition. In the main table, the capital club sit sixth, but their chances of fighting for at least the bronze medals are decent: they are only three points behind third place.
- The team have conceded in 6 of their last 7 Premier League matches.
- Away from home, Spartak have gone seven league matches without a draw (3 wins, 4 defeats).
- A goal in both halves was scored in 5 of the previous 6 matches involving the Moscow side in this competition.
Potential Spartak Moscow Lineup (4-3-3)
Aleksandr Maksimenko – Daniil Denisov, Christopher Wu, Roman Zobnin, Aleksandr Dzhikiya – Ruslan Litvinov, Nail Umyarov, Gedson Fernandes – Marquinhos, Ezequiel Barco, Pablo Solari.
Defenders Srdjan Babic and Ilya Samoshnikov are in the treatment room.
