Samara vs CSKA Prediction 30 September 2025

The team from Samara, now operating under a new legal entity, is set to kick off their campaign in the championship, preparing for their first full season. The squad has undergone a decent refresh. Initially, it seemed the club might struggle to attract quality players, but Samara managed to retain Mikhail Kulagin and signed Evgeny Minchenko and Nikita Mikhailovsky. Additionally, Gleb Sheiko and Danila Pokhodyaev will be part of the lineup. Notably, the league now features a second club composed entirely of Russian players. Samara put on a respectable showing in their preseason games, despite losing most of them. The team still needs time to gel, but the level of talent should allow them to feel at ease on the court.

The Moscow squad has remained largely unchanged, having conducted a rather low-key transfer campaign. Amath M'Baye and Aleksa Avramovic have departed, while Antonius Cleveland has joined the ranks of the "Army Men." So far, these are the only changes in their lineup of foreign players. The club might reserve another spot for the playoffs to strengthen the team ahead of the crucial part of the championship. However, CSKA's primary focus is on their coaching staff. Andreas Pistiolis has signed a new contract and is gearing up to secure a third consecutive championship title. The Greek specialist has remarkably enhanced the team's performance, allowing the club to achieve top-tier results with minimal expenditure.