The Matchday 4 clash in the Russian Cup 2025/26 between CSKA and Baltika will take place on September 18 at the VEB Arena in Moscow. CSKA vs. Baltika: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
CSKA
The Army Men defeated Baltika 2-0 away in the last round. The Moscow club remains unbeaten in regular time for five consecutive matches in the Russian Cup (3 wins, 2 draws), keeping a clean sheet in three of these encounters. CSKA's defense has been solid, conceding no more than one goal in 25 of their last 26 matches in this tournament. Fabio Celestini's side currently tops Group D.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 5 of CSKA's last 7 national cup games.
- The team has a streak of 6 consecutive home wins in this tournament.
- CSKA has scored at least two goals in 5 of their last 6 home matches in the Russian Cup.
Predicted lineup for CSKA (4-3-3)
Vladislav Torop – João Victor, Dzhamalutdin Abdulkadyrov, Moisés Barbosa, Ramiro di Luciano – Mateus Alves, Artem Bandikyan, Daniel Ruiz – Artem Shumansky, Tamerlan Musaev, Artem Serikov.
Forward Kirill Glebov is injured.
Baltika
The defeat in the last match marked the fourth consecutive loss for the Kaliningrad team in the Russian Cup. During this period, the team managed to score just one goal. The club has conceded in 6 of their last 7 matches in this tournament. Andrey Talalaev's side is at the bottom of Group D, with Baltika and Rostov being the only teams yet to earn points in the group stage. However, they still have a theoretical chance to advance to the playoffs.
- No more than two goals were scored in 9 of Baltika's last 12 national cup games.
- In 6 of their last 8 away matches in this tournament, the team conceded exactly 1 or 2 goals.
- Baltika has scored in 8 of their last 10 away matches in the Russian Cup.
Predicted lineup for Baltika (3-4-3)
Yegor Lyubakov – Amar Mohhamad, Kevin Andrade, Diego Luna – Eldar Civich, Yuri Kovalev, Stefan Kovach, Ayman Murid – Tenton Yenne, Sergey Pryakhin, Dmitry Nikitin.
Midfielder Andrey Mendel and defender Nathan Gassama are injured.
Referee
Vladislav Tselovalnikov (Russia)
Matches – 5 (Russian Cup and RPL, 2024/25 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 20;
Average yellow cards per match – 4;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 40%.
CSKA vs. Baltika: Match Prediction
Regardless of what Andrey Talalaev says about his team's lineup, there is a noticeable difference in Baltika's results in the RPL and the national cup, where the head coach opts for rotation. In the current championship, Baltika has not lost yet, but in the second most important tournament, they have lost all three matches. Moreover, in their last 7 Russian Cup matches, the club has 5 losses (1 win, 1 draw in regular time).
The Army Men know how to find balance. In the RPL standings, the Moscow team is just one point behind Kaliningrad, but in Group D, they are 7 points ahead of Baltika. At home in the Russian Cup, the team shows excellent results: CSKA has won 6 consecutive matches and conceded only two goals during this span. A solid defense will be an additional advantage for the hosts, as their next opponent is among the three least productive teams in this tournament edition.
My prediction: CSKA to win
