Rubin Kazan's notoriously taciturn trainer "nearly died of shame" when shown on TV dancing in a restaurant as his side celebrated their second straight Russian Premier League title.

The Tatar club's 0-0 home draw against Zenit St. Petersburg on Saturday was enough to retain the championship as their only remaining challengers Spartak lost 3-2 to Moscow rivals CSKA.

"In my youth, after victories we would gather at a restaurant - not all of us drank, but everyone danced," Kurban Berdiyev told the Sovietsky Sport newspaper. "When I learned that they had shown me on television, I nearly died of shame."

At the start of the season, Rubin were given little chance of repeating their 2008 triumph, but the team was kept together and once again deservedly beat the traditional Moscow powerhouses and Gazprom-sponsored Zenit. Next season, however, could be even harder as an exodus of players looms.

The departure of Argentinean forward Alejandro Dominguez, the team's leading scorer and attacking inspiration, is already considered a formality, but midfield linchpin Sergei Semak and the rising young Russian pair of Alexander Bukharov and Alexander Ryazantsev could also be on their way.

"We have offers from Russian and foreign clubs for almost all of Rubin's leading players," club president Alexander Gusev was quoted as saying by Sport Express. "Our main task is to keep the backbone of the team. It won't happen for everyone - Dominguez, most likely, will leave."

"Dominguez and his family want to live in a country closer to the mentality and language of Argentina," he said.

Gusev admitted that there had been "informal" offers for Semak, Bukharov and Ryazantsev but pointing to the chance of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League as an incentive to keep the team together for 2010.

Rubin play Dynamo Kiev in Kazan on Tuesday knowing that a victory, coupled with a defeat for Barcelona at home to Inter Milan, will guarantee them one of the top two spots in the group.

Despite their defeat, Spartak are assured the second spot and the Champions League group place that comes with it, but third place and entry into the qualifying rounds of Europe's premier club competition is still up for grabs.

CSKA's win, secured in the 88th minute thanks to a howler by Spartak's young goalkeeper, just keeps their hopes alive - the former Red Army side is two points behind both Zenit and Lokomotiv Moscow, bur it is unlikely both will slip up next Sunday.

Lokomotiv moved level with Zenit thanks to a 2-0 win over Dynamo at the Khimki stadium outside Moscow, and they return there to play the relegated Moscow region side in their final game. Khimki have managed just two wins all season, the most recent coming in July, and they have lost 15 games since. Lokomotiv are the only team not to have beaten them this season, drawing 1-1 on the opening day.

Zenit are ahead of the Railwaymen on goal difference, but host Spartak in St. Petersburg. Should the sides finish level, there could be controversy as Zenit fielded too many foreigners in a match earlier in the season, but had a three-point penalty overturned on appeal.

Lokomotiv coach Yuri Syomin has called on Zenit to meet his side in a playoff should goal difference be decided to separate the teams.

CSKA may have little chance of Champions League football next season, but could miss out on Europe altogether if they don't beat midtable Saturn and FC Moskva get the better of slumping Moscow rivals Dynamo.

At the bottom, Kuban won against Terek in Grozny to keep their premier league status mathematically alive, but the Krasnodar club would have to beat the newly crowned champions by an incredible margin and hope Rostov lose to Amkar, who sealed their place in the top flight with a 2-0 win over Khimki on Saturday.

Spartak Nalchik can also relax on the final weekend after their 2-0 win against FC Moskva. The Ingush and Chechen sides will be joined in the top division next season by their North Caucasus neighbors from Dagestan, Anzhi Makhachkala, who won the first division, two points ahead of Sibir, who are also promoted.

Results

Amkar 2-0 Khimki

Tom Tomsk 2-1 Rostov

Terek Grozny 0-1 Kuban

FC Moskva 0-2 Spartak Nalchik

Dynamo Moscow 0-2 Lokomotiv Moscow

Rubin 0-0 Zenit St. Petersburg

Saturn 3-1 Krylya Sovetov

Spartak Moscow 2-3 CSKA Moscow

Table (29 games)

Rubin 60

Spartak Moscow 55

Zenit St. Petersburg 51

Lokomotiv Moscow 51

CSKA Moscow 49

FC Moskva 48

Saturn 45

Dynamo Moscow 39

Tom Tomsk 38

Krylya Sovetov 36

Terek Grozny 33

Amkar 32

Spartak Nalchik 32

Rostov 31

Kuban 28

Khimki 10

MOSCOW, November 23 (RIA Novosti)