CSKA vs Zenit St Petersburg Prediction
πThe highlight of the week in the VTB United League. CSKA host Zenit on their home court. After their defeat to UNICS, the Army Men have lost the top spot. Remarkably, Pistiolis' squad will face their main rivals twice in a row in the league. So far, Zenit have yet to secure a win against any top-4 opponents. What can we expect from this clash? Find out in our prediction.
Head-to-Head
The teams have faced each other 82 times, with Zenit claiming 24 victories.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results

CSKA Moscow Team Overview
The Army Men failed to maintain their top spot in the championship. They traveled to Kazan for the month's key matchup and lost by a single point. It seemed that Perasovic's squad, missing two key foreign players, would falter, but CSKA couldn't pull themselves together. Perhaps they were too confident. The quality of basketball in that game left much to be desired from both sides. We don't consider the in-season tournament as anything serious, so we'll skip that. Now the team is set to face Zenit on their home court. It's clear that the Army Men won't allow themselves two consecutive defeats, especially with the match being at home, and Pistiolis understands the significance of this. Bookmakers also view CSKA as the clear favorite. Moreover, in their last five head-to-head encounters, the Muscovites have given no chances to their rivals from the banks of the Neva.
Match Results: CSKA Moscow

Zenit Saint Petersburg Team Overview
The team from St. Petersburg finally managed to secure a victory after a string of defeats. Admittedly, these were opponents that Zenit should defeat even when not in top form. However, facing the top four teams is proving challenging, although Zenit are expected to win these matchups. Looking back at Pascual's tenure, he wouldn't have allowed so many losses at the start of the season. Sekulic, on the other hand, didn't spend the entire preseason with the team, as he also has commitments with the national squad. During the international break, he will leave Zenit again. Yes, he reached the final with Loko, but the situation here is more complex. Zenit have signed two new players during the season, who need to be integrated into the teamβs play. It's all quite challenging. It's evident that the team from the northern capital is struggling to find cohesion.
Match Results: Zenit Saint Petersburg
Editor's Prediction
Zenit are not the team that can compete against the well-organized lineup of CSKA. Disjointed basketball, fresh faces, injuries, and a coach who didn't start with the squad all heavily impact their performance. They have no wins against the top four, and it's unlikely to change this year. Our bet is CSKA Handicap (-3.5).
