The Matchday 18 fixture in the MIR RPL between Krasnodar and CSKA will take place on 7 December at Ozon Arena. Krasnodar – CSKA: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Krasnodar
Murad Musaev's side thrashed Krylia Sovetov 5-0 at home in the last round. Krasnodar have won 5 of their last 7 league matches (2 draws), keeping a clean sheet in four of those victories. The club have recorded nine shutouts this season, second only to Baltika (11). They are also the second-highest scorers with 34 goals, behind Lokomotiv (35). In the overall standings Krasnodar sit top. In the game against the Samara side the team produced their best corners tally of the season – 11 (season average 5.1).
- The team have conceded more than one goal in only two of their last eight Premier League games.
- Krasnodar have won seven of their last eight home league matches (one defeat).
- In five of their last seven home league games the club scored at least twice.
Likely Krasnodar line-up (4-5-1)
Stanislav Agkatsev – Giovanni Gonzalez, Vitor Tormena, Diego Costa, Lucas Olaza – Eduard Spertsyan, Joao Bachi, Douglas Augusto, Alexander Chernikov, Viktor Sa – John Cordoba.
Forward Moses Kobnan and defender Sergei Petrov are sidelined through injury.
CSKA
CSKA were less flashy in the last round but still secured a 2-0 win over Orenburg. That victory was their seventh in nine league matches (two defeats). Notably, all of their losses in this stretch have come away from home. Overall, the Moscow side rank sixth for away form, but in the main table they are the closest chasers to Krasnodar, just one point behind.
- In six of CSKA's last matches at least one side failed to score.
- In five of their previous seven away league games the Muscovites conceded exactly one goal.
- The team haven't drawn in their last six away fixtures in this competition (3 wins, 3 defeats).
Likely CSKA line-up (4-3-3)
Igor Akinfeev – Moises Barbosa, Milan Gajic, Danil Krugovoy, Igor Diveev – Ivan Oblyakov, Rodrigo Villagra, Matvey Kislyak – Tamerlan Musayev, Kirill Glebov, Mateus Alves.
Defender Ramiro Di Luciano will miss the game through injury. Defender Matvey Lukin is suspended.
Referee
Kirill Levnikov (Russia)
Matches – 10 (RPL, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 42;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.2;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 20%.
Match prediction Krasnodar – CSKA
Krasnodar have never been priced so low for a home game against CSKA. The hosts generally perform well against the Moscow side, avoiding defeat in 12 of the last 14 league meetings at home (7 wins, 5 draws). I believe the home side have the better chance of picking up points. Musaev's team have not lost in 14 of their last 16 Premier League home matches. Over that run they have been solid defensively, conceding more than one goal only twice and keeping eight clean sheets.
CSKA have managed just three away wins this season. Two of those wins came against relegation-threatened sides (Sochi and Makhachkala), while the other was at Dynamo Moscow, which did not involve long-distance travel. CSKA last won in Krasnodar in the RPL in 2017. Furthermore, Fabio Celestini's side have failed to score more than once in six of their previous eight away league matches, so they will likely struggle to break down one of the competition's best defences. Head-to-heads at Krasnodar have generally been low-scoring: more than three goals have never been recorded.
My prediction: Krasnodar to avoid defeat and Total under 3.5 goals
