Match TV commentator Dmitry Shnyakin believes that Zenit St. Petersburg is superior to Rostov in every aspect, making it hard to imagine the southern side pulling off an upset or the league leaders throwing away the championship.
Zenit secured a 2-1 win over Sochi in Round 29 of the Russian Premier League, moving ahead of Krasnodar in the standings, who lost 1-2 to Dynamo Moscow. Sergei Semak’s side only need a draw in their away match against Rostov in the final round, while Krasnodar will face Orenburg at the same time.
“Will Zenit fail to win the title? It’s very hard to believe, especially since Krasnodar needs to beat Orenburg and hope Zenit loses. Anything can happen in our league, but recent seasons show that those who need the result more tend to get it in the final rounds. Zenit has greater depth, higher individual quality, and clear motivation. They have improved in many aspects of their game this spring, with a settled core lineup. It is surprising that John John didn’t come on as a substitute against Sochi. I saw he was disappointed, but players like Alexander Erokhin are more needed in crucial, high-pressure moments,” Shnyakin told Match TV.
“I have no doubts about the match with Rostov, even though they once produced a thriller against Zenit in a title-deciding game. Perhaps the only hope for Rostov is their freedom from pressure. Their strength lies in draining opponents and imposing their athletic, vertical style. If Rostov absolutely had to win, I might believe in a possible sensation, but not now.”
