The Matchday 12 clash in the Russian Premier League between Spartak and Rostov will take place on October 18 at the Lukoil Arena in Moscow. Spartak vs. Rostov: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Spartak
In the previous round, the Moscow side suffered a 2-3 defeat to CSKA. This was their first loss in the last seven league matches (4 wins, 2 draws), though they have scored at least two goals in eight consecutive RPL games. Despite this, Spartak ranks behind four opponents in total goals scored (17). Under Dejan Stankovic, the team leads in goals conceded among the top half of the table with 17 goals. They currently occupy the 6th position in the standings.
Head coach Dejan Stankovic is suspended.
- At least three goals have been scored in 7 of Spartak's last 8 Premier League matches.
- The team has won 5 of their last 7 home matches in this tournament (1 draw, 1 loss).
- At least one goal has been scored in both halves in 8 of the club's last 10 home league games.
Predicted lineup for Spartak (3-5-2)
Alexander Maksimenko – Daniil Denisov, Alexander Djiku, Srdjan Babic – Pablo Solari, Esequiel Barco, Christopher Martins, Nail Umyarov, Gedson Fernandes – Marquinhos, Manfred Ugalde.
Rostov
By defeating Orenburg 1-0 in the last round, Rostov extended their unbeaten run in the league to six matches (2 wins, 4 draws). Jonathan Alba's side has not conceded in four consecutive matches in this tournament, and they are second only to Baltika and Krasnodar in clean sheets (5) with 6 games each. Additionally, against Orenburg, the club earned 7 corners, nearly doubling their average total in this metric. In the standings, Rostov has climbed to 10th place, increasing their gap from the relegation zone to 5 points.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 6 of Rostov's last 8 Premier League matches.
- The team has not won in 8 of their last 9 away league matches (4 draws, 4 losses).
- In 8 of their last 9 away RPL games, Rostov has not scored more than one goal.
Predicted lineup for Rostov (4-4-2)
Rustam Yatimov – Dmitry Chistyakov, Viktor Melekhin, Ilya Vakhaniya, Umar Sako – Konstantin Kuchaev, Ronaldo, Kirill Schetinin, Danila Prokhin – Mohammad Mohebi, Yegor Golenkov.
Defender Eyad El-Askalan is injured.
Referee
Pavel Kukuyan (Russia)
Matches – 20 (RPL, 2024/25 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 83;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.2;
Red cards shown – 6;
Average fouls per match – 28;
Penalties – 30%.
Spartak vs. Rostov: Match Prediction
The Moscow club faltered at the start against CSKA but managed to avoid a heavy defeat. I am confident Dejan Stankovic's team will aim to redeem themselves in the eyes of their fans, and playing at home should aid their cause. Spartak has not lost in 6 of their last 7 home league matches (5 wins, 1 draw), conceding more than one goal in only two of these games.
Rostov is in good form, remaining unbeaten in the league since late August. Their defensive progress is noteworthy, with more clean sheets than the entire last season. This will be crucial against Spartak's strong attack. However, it's uncertain if this will help Rostov earn points, as their away performance is poor, with no wins in 8 of their last 9 RPL away matches (4 draws, 4 losses).
Considering these factors, my prediction: Spartak will not lose and Total under 3.5 goals
