On 5 July, seven RPL teams played friendly matches in preparation for the 2021/22 season.

Spartak 4-2 Sibenik

After losing to Neftchi and drawing with Slovenian outfit Bravo, the Red-Whites won their first victory in the off-season. Spartak led 2-0 thanks to goals by Jorrit Hendrix and Victor Moses, and although after the break they conceded twice in a row from their Croatian opponents, they sealed victory thanks to goals by Maksim Glushenkov and Mikhail Ignatov.

Spartak have now completed their training camp in Austria, with Rui Vitoria's team set to perform at the Parimatch Premier Cup in Moscow together with Sochi, Rubin and Khimki. In the first match, Spartak will host Sochi on 11 July at the Otkritie Bank Arena.

Akhmat 2-0 Shinnik

Akhmat and Shinnik met in Novogorsk in a game split into four halves of 30 minutes each. Akhmat’s win came through goals from Islam Alsultanov and Amir Aduev. On 10 July, Andrey Talalaev's team will start their training camp in Austria.

Rubin 3-1 Ural

Rubin and Ural held their second game of the summer: on 27 June Ural won 2-0 in Ekaterinburg, whereas this time Rubin won in Kazan. Hwang In-beom, Djordje Despotovic and Oleg Shatov (from the penalty spot) scored for the hosts, Aleksey Gerasimov scored for the visitors.

On 10 July, Rubin will start at the Parimatch Premier Cup with a game against Khimki. Ural will play two matches against Krylia Sovetov before the start of the RPL season: on 11 July in Ekaterinburg and on 18 July in Samara.

Ufa 1-3 Sepsi

Ufa played against Romanian outfit Sepsi for three halves of 45 minutes each. Ufa’s only goal of the match was scored by Gamid Agalarov. Earlier, Sepsi won against another RPL side, beating Krasnodar 2-1. On 9 July, Aleksey Stukalov's team will play another Romanina side, Botosani, in Austria.

Lokomotiv 2-2 Cracovia

The Railwaymen were leading 2-0, but missed the victory over the 14th-placed team of the last season’s Polish Ekstraklasa. Eighteen-year-old Timur Kasimov and 20-year-old Maksim Petrov scored for Lokomotiv. On 7 July, Marko Nikolic’s side will meet Greek club Aris in Austria.

CSKA 0-1 Copenhagen

The Armymen suffered their first defeat at their Austrian training camp against the 13-time champions of Denmark. In their previous friendlies this summer, the Red-Blues beat Wiener Neustadt 3-1 and Kapfenberg 1-0. On 9 July, CSKA’s opponents will be Admira Wacker from Austria.

Photo: Alexander Stupnikov / Spartak; Jalil Gubaidullin / Rubin