The Matchday 12 clash in the Russian Premier League between Rubin and Baltika will take place on October 19 at the Ak Bars Arena in Kazan. Rubin vs. Baltika: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Rubin
In the previous round, Rubin secured a 2-0 home victory over Krylia Sovetov. This was only the second win for the team in their last six league matches (2 draws, 2 losses). Nevertheless, the three points helped Rubin climb into the upper half of the standings. Notably, the match against the Samara team was Rubin's best this season in terms of shots on target – 8 (average 4.2). Additionally, the club has scored in 17 of their last 19 Premier League matches.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 5 of Rubin's last 7 league matches.
- At home, the team has not lost in 13 of their last 14 Premier League matches (11 wins, 2 draws).
- In 11 of their last 14 home games in this tournament, Rubin has not conceded more than one goal.
Predicted lineup for Rubin (3-5-2)
Yevgeny Staver – Yegor Teslenko, Ilya Rozhkov, Anderson Arroyo – Veldin Hodja, Ugochukwu Iwu, Bogdan Yochich, Daler Kuzyaev, Konstantin Nizhegorodov – Dardan Shabanhadzhay, Mirlin Daku.
Defenders Denil Maldonado, Alexey Gritsaenko, Igor Vujacic, and midfielder Anton Shvets are injured.
Baltika
Baltika also secured a 2-0 victory in the last round, defeating Dynamo Makhachkala. This was the first win for Andrey Talalaev's side in their last four league matches (2 draws, 1 loss). Baltika has kept a clean sheet six times in the RPL 2025/26 season, a record unmatched by any other team. Additionally, the club has conceded only six goals since the start of the tournament, setting a record for league newcomers over this distance. Baltika has climbed to 5th place in the main standings.
- At least one opponent has failed to score in Baltika's last 6 league matches.
- In this tournament, the team has not lost in 5 of their last 6 away matches (3 wins, 2 draws).
- In 7 of their last 9 away Premier League matches, the club has scored exactly 1 or 2 goals.
Predicted lineup for Baltika (4-5-1)
Maxim Borisko – Sergey Varatynov, Nathan Gassama, Alexander Filin, Mingiyan Beveev – Vladislav Saus, Yuri Kovalev, Ilya Petrov, Nikolay Titkov, Maxim Petrov – Brian Gil.
Midfielder Andrey Mendel is injured.
Referee
Ivan Saraev (Russia)
Matches – 12 (RPL and First League, 2024/25 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 52;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.3;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 25%.
Match Prediction: Rubin vs. Baltika
Baltika continues to display excellent defensive play. The team not only set a record for goals conceded by newcomers after 11 rounds but also currently boasts the best defensive statistics. Baltika has faced all Moscow teams and Zenit, with these high-caliber opponents scoring only three goals against Andrey Talalaev's side. Baltika started the tournament with consistent scoring but failed to score in 3 of their last 4 Premier League matches.
Rubin also looks strong defensively, especially in home matches. Rubin has not conceded more than one goal in 11 of their last 14 home league matches. Moreover, in 7 matches during this period, Rashid Rakhimov's side kept a clean sheet. The team has no issues with scoring, but it's challenging to break down well-defending opponents. For example, they narrowly defeated Makhachkala, thanks to a penalty goal.
My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
