We have rounded up the key plots to follow in the tale of matchday 23 in the Russian Premier Liga.

Rubin Kazan vs Khimki: Rubin battle against the unthinkable

With Khvicha Kvaratskhelia returning to his homeland to join Dinamo Batumi, Rubin Kazan are shorn of another key player in their top flight campaign. By the young Georgian winger’s standards it has not been an explosive season so far in numbers (just two goals and five assists in 19 RPL games, compared to four goals and eight assists in 23 games last season) , but his loss will be keenly felt.

His departure has come amidst one of the worst runs of form the club has endured in recent times. The memories of a thrilling chase for Europa Conference League places last summer seem a long way off now, and there is a real danger they could get dragged down into a previously unimaginable relegation battle. Defeat to bottom side Khimki this weekend could see them within five points of the automatic drop zone, and with the deflation of not taking advantage of what is theoretically their most winnable fixture left.

Khimki are not quite hitting top-half form yet, but are, by contrast, unbeaten in their last two. They have also lost a talisman in Didier Lamkel Ze, whose short burst had promised an explosive impact on their fortunes, but after beating fellow strugglers Ural Ekaterinburg last time out away from home they have found themselves on the cusp of hauling themselves to safety.

With the poor run of form their hosts are in (six defeats in the last seven league games) Sergey Yuran’s men will sense a real opportunity to escape the bottom two places for the first time since matchday 12. It has been a tough second return to Arena Khimki for the manager; a positive Friday night result, however, and he can start to dream while sparking Rubin’s nightmare.

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Spartak Moscow: Sliding Doors Derby

After the winter transfer window there is always a relative uncertainty tinged with excitement as new signings settle into their fresh surroundings, and for Lokomotiv it was no different with the arrival of Jan Kuchta and Wilson Isidor. The young Frenchman has been electric with his rapier vision and instinctive positioning, bagging three goals in his first three fixtures for the Railroaders, while Jan Kuchta has already claimed two winners in thrilling 3-2 victories.

The outgoing moves were far more concerning. Markus Gisdol leaving as head coach stands out, but losing Brazilian defenders Pablo and Murilo Cerqueira left considerable pressure on teenage newcomer Mark Mampassi, and it has hurt somewhat to see leading scorer Fedor Smolov slide into a title-winning Dynamo Moscow side so smoothly while Vitaly Lisakovich has already surpassed his two goals for Lokomotiv in his first two appearances for Rubin.

Spartak’s youthful recruitment was widely praised, and the impact of Jamaican powerhouse forward Shamar Nicholson has justifiably kept Russian international Aleksandr Sobolev out of the side. The euphoria of his hattrick in the Russian Cup and the defeat of Dynamo away from home have ebbed away though after five dropped points in the last two games. In fact, Paolo Vanoli’s side have picked up just two wins in the last 12 RPL matches.

A Moscow derby always rips up momentum and form though; the performance on the day, and managing the situation maturely, comes way ahead of what the usual expectations dictate. Clashes between these two are usually tight; only two of the last 10 RPL meetings have been settled by a margin greater than one goal. Although the home side has only lost once in the last eight league games, Spartak have only lost once in six league visits to the RZD Arena.

FC Krasnodar vs Dynamo Moscow: Threadbare Krasnodar to crash the top-four party?

One intriguing outcome of the mass exodus from Krasnodar’s squad has been the opportunity for the much-vaunted academy products to really shine, and so far they are passing the test with flying colours. Eduard Spertsyan has stepped up to the plate to lead the attacking output, and is joint-top scorer on six goals, while the likes of Irakly Manelov and Russia youth international Omar Popov have been granted minutes on the pitch. 

The results so far have been far above expectations, considering the spine that was ripped from the first-team squad. The Bulls have gone unbeaten since the winter break and are closing in on Sochi in the top four with just two points separating the southern rivals. It may not last of course, as the inexperience and sudden depleted depth factor in - Egor Sorokin’s suspension leaves just Aleksandr Martynovich as the only fit senior centre-back - but for now they are still a force to be reckoned with.

Dynamo Moscow have had a frustrating campaign in many ways, even though they remain well on course to equal their best league finish since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Each time they close the gap on Zenit, they seem to let it slip back out of reach; the clash between the two before the winter break represented a golden chance to start the spring top of the table, but as it is they find themselves five points behind with eight matches left.

Dynamo do have an excellent recent record against Krasnodar, having won the last four and not lost any of the last six league meetings. Throw in three away wins on the trot, and Sandro Schwarz must begin to be confident of keeping up the pressure on the leaders by again closing the gap to two points ahead of Zenit’s trip to Sochi. Fail, and they risk letting city rivals CSKA take their place in the top two.

Sochi vs Zenit St. Petersburg: Can Sochi spark another title-race twist?

Sochi’s charge towards the top two has taken a slight knock in the last two matchdays, following a disappointing goalless draw away to bottom side Khimki and then conceding three goals in a shock home defeat to Krylia Sovetov. The arrival of comfortable league leaders Zenit is hardly the tonic most doctors would order for the southerners - but since when has the Russian Premier Liga followed the script?

Mateo Cassierra is yet to score since the winter break - in fact, he has just one goal in his last eight competitive appearances - having blitzed his way to eight goals in his first 11 RPL matches. His less impactful form has translated into the team easing off in front of goal with five goals in the four games since the restart. With the firepower they will face, they might need to improve on that front.

Zenit’s approach could depend somewhat on how Dynamo fare away to Krasnodar in the early kick-off; if Dynamo drop points again, the pressure will be off and some rotation may be used, but if the Muscovites win and close the gap to just two points, suddenly the urgency will be ramped up. Given that they have only won a third of their away games since mid-August 2020, there are no guarantees they will coast to three points at all.

However, they have a very well-rested squad after rotating the starting lineup in the last match, and with fewer players called up for international duty. Add in the small matter of having beaten Sochi in both league visits since their promotion, and Sergey Semak knows he holds all the aces. Whether he can play them successfully may determine the title’s destination this season.