First meets third in the central match of the Russian Premier League over the weekend, with joint leaders CSKA Moscow hosting cross-town rivals Dynamo Moscow without their injured captain and goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
Elsewhere, Lokomotiv Moscow put a six-match unbeaten run under new coach Jose Couceiro on the line at the other league leaders Zenit St. Petersburg, while Anzhi Makhachkala forward Samuel Eto’o gears up for his home debut against Volga Nizhny Novgorod.
In the first round of domestic league action since Wednesday’s air crash that wiped out the entire team and coaching staff of hockey club Lokomotiv Yaroslalv, all teams are to wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence before kickoff, according to a Premier League directive.
CSKA Moscow, top on 46 points, are without Akinfeev, who sustained a knee injury in their last match against Spartak Moscow and will be replaced by rookie understudy Sergei Chepchugov.
Chepchugov will have to stop Dynamo midfielder Igor Semshov, who is in rampant form, scoring eight goals in his last eight games and who put in a sparkling performance for the national team in their 0-0 draw with Ireland on Tuesday.
Dynamo, five points behind in third, come into Saturday’s match in inconsistent form, however, with two wins and two defeats in their last four.
In St. Petersburg, Lokomotiv Moscow get their first serious test under Couceiro. Since the Portuguese coach replaced Yury Krasnozhan in June, Lokomotiv have won four and drawn two of their six games, scoring nine goals and conceding none.
None of those games was against a top-eight club, however, and Lokomotiv face a Zenit side who smashed five goals past each of their last two opponents and are unbeaten in their last 12 games.
Meanwhile, Anzhi Makhachkala’s home supporters finally get to welcome new striker Samuel Eto’o, as the Dagestan-based club, currently in fifth and nine points off the lead, host Volga Nizhny Novgorod. Anzhi were reported to be at full strength on Friday, suggesting Eto’o will begin the match, after his goal-scoring debut as a substitute away to Rostov last month.
In other games, sixth-placed Spartak begin life without Brazilian striker Welliton, who was banned for six games this week for charging into CSKA keeper Akinfeev, with an away game at Amkar Perm.
Rubin Kazan, in fourth place two points behind Dynamo, travel to ninth-placed Krasnodar looking to keep the fight for a Champions League spot alive.
It’s also a crucial weekend in the battle to avoid the bottom two relegation slots as the last four teams face off.
Spartak Nalchik, last but one, play Rostov, who are a point and a place above them, while bottom club Krylya Sovietov host 13th-placed Tom Tomsk.
Monday’s game sees Kuban travel to Terek Grozny.
The 2011/12 season is a transitional year as the Premier League switches from a summer to a winter competition to synchronize with the rest of Europe.
Once all teams have played each other twice, by November 6, there is a winter break, after which the top eight peel off and fight for the title and European places. The bottom eight battle to avoid relegation.
