Lokomotiv vs Spartak Moscow Prediction 26 November 2025
🔊 Which team will come out on top in the Moscow derby? The rivals are set to face off in the second leg of the Russian Cup RPL Path quarterfinals at the “RZD Arena.” Spartak hold a two-goal advantage, a solid lead that guarantees nothing, especially with Lokomotiv as their opponents, a team with serious ambitions this season. The upcoming clash will heavily depend on the team line-ups, which we will consider in our match prediction. Remember, the losing team will not be eliminated from the tournament but will move to the lower bracket.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the course of 43 head-to-head matches, Spartak hold the upper hand with a 47 percent win rate. They also emerged victorious three weeks ago in the first leg of the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory. The Red and Whites took the lead as early as the fourth minute and had opportunities to settle the tie in the first match itself. Early in the second half, they extended their lead to three goals. Alexey Batrakov managed to get on the scoresheet and had a chance to narrow Lokomotiv's deficit further, but missed a penalty. This season, the Russian national team midfielder has already scored against Spartak. At the "RZD Arena" during the RPL, he netted a hat-trick, securing three points for the Railwaymen with a 4-2 win.
The rivalry between Lokomotiv and Spartak has recently become one of the most thrilling in Russian football. At the very least, both teams have scored in their last seven encounters. Considering that the outcome of the upcoming game doesn't carry significant standings implications, it might be worth considering a bet on both teams to score (yes).
Head-to-head statistics Lokomotiv - Spartak Moscow
Lokomotiv Moscow Team Overview
🚂 Lokomotiv are experiencing a slump as the year draws to a close. They have managed just one victory in a stretch of five matches, including the Russian Cup. They narrowly defeated Orenburg (1-0). The situation could have been critical if the "Railroaders" had lost to Krasnodar last weekend. However, they managed to hold the current leaders to a draw (1-1). Both teams exchanged goals by the 15th minute. Chances were created at both ends, so the "Red-Greens" were likely not too disappointed with the draw, which kept them in fourth place in the standings, just three points behind the leader.
🔴 In the Russian Cup, Lokomotiv advanced to the playoffs from second place. This outcome was determined by two defeats to CSKA, with whom the "Railroaders" ended up with the same number of points. A significant question is whether Mikhail Galaktionov will field his strongest lineup for the upcoming match. He has done this during the group stage, which had negative repercussions in the league. Dmitry Barinov is expected to start, having missed the Krasnodar game due to suspension. Dmitry Vorobyov and Sergey Pinyaev, who have just recovered from injuries, might also make appearances on the pitch.
Match Results: Lokomotiv Moscow
Spartak Moscow Team Overview
🔴 Spartak's management made the decisive call to part ways with Dejan Stanković. It's not fair to label his tenure a failure, but the tense atmosphere was taking a toll on both the team and the coach. The club had been on the lookout for a new coach for some time, but no ready candidate emerged. As a result, Vadim Romanov stepped in as the interim head coach. His debut came during the derby against CSKA. The "Red-Whites" didn't shine offensively but displayed disciplined defense to secure three points (1-0). The team has now closed the gap to the leader to six points, putting them back in contention for at least a podium finish.
⚪ In the Russian Cup, Spartak's performances have been inconsistent. They have frequently dropped points at home but found success on the road. Heading into the final round, they were in second place, trailing Dynamo Makhachkala. A head-to-head clash awaited in Kaspiysk, a venue where almost everyone struggles to earn points. However, Spartak rose to the challenge with a 3-1 victory, finishing the group stage in first place. In the upcoming match, Vadim Romanov might field a strong lineup. Pablo Solari missed the CSKA match due to suspension, and Manfred Ugalde will sit out the next RPL fixture. Both players need game time.
Match Results: Spartak Moscow
Latest news
Lokomotiv Moscow
🎙️ Mikhail Galaktionov is pleased with how Lokomotiv performed against Krasnodar: “It was a good match. We are satisfied with how the guys played. There were plenty of chances, but we lacked precision in finishing. I liked the focus on winning, we wanted to win and tried to apply pressure. We finished the match in an attacking style.”
❌ Lokomotiv have no significant injuries. The only doubt is Alexander Silyanov, who missed the squad for the match against Krasnodar due to illness.
Spartak Moscow
🎙️ Spartak defender Alexander Djiku is hopeful for a winning streak: “Spartak haven't lost their shot at the title. We just need one good winning run. Right now, we have two consecutive wins in the league. Let's see if we can extend that streak. We'll do whatever it takes to achieve it. We'd like to enter the break in the top three. So, we're not stopping and will keep pushing forward.”
❌ The only player unavailable for the upcoming match is Srdjan Babic, who is likely out for the season due to a torn cruciate ligament.
🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards
The main referee for the match is Aleksei Sukhoi. This season, he has officiated seven RPL matches, averaging 4.71 yellow cards per game. He often handles challenging fixtures, but this season he has yet to oversee a match involving Spartak or Lokomotiv. It’s worth noting that this season marks Aleksei Sukhoi's debut in this competition.
This season, Lokomotiv have the edge in yellow cards (2.6 compared to 2.2). Meanwhile, matches involving Spartak average 5.4 cautions. In their head-to-head clash three weeks ago, the teams combined for five yellow cards. Given the referee's statistics, expect total yellow cards over 4.5.
⚽ Goal Prediction
Lokomotiv are the highest-scoring team in the RPL, but their recent goal output has dipped. Consequently, more than three goals have not been scored in six of their last seven matches. The same holds true for 15 of the last 17 head-to-head encounters at the "RZD Arena." If Spartak play in a similar style to their match against CSKA, a high-scoring game seems unlikely. Thus, we suggest betting on total goals under 3.5.
🚩 Corner Prediction
This season, Spartak take more corners on average (4.2 compared to 3.6). However, matches involving these teams average fewer than nine corners. In their two head-to-head meetings this season, there were only six corners each time. Therefore, a bet on total corners under 9.5 seems reasonable.
Editor's Prediction
Lokomotiv are considered the favorites for the upcoming clash, largely because Spartak have struggled on the road this season, managing victories only against mid-table teams and underdogs. However, Spartak hold an advantage from the first leg, allowing them to play conservatively if needed. Considering various trends, we lean towards a draw in this match with a scoreline of 1-1.
Last weekend, Spartak delivered a performance that was not flashy but effective, a strategy likely to be repeated in the Russian Cup return leg. Therefore, the visitors might not concede much. Additionally, Lokomotiv have shown a dip in form, failing to score more than one goal in their last five matches consecutively. Hence, our key bet is on the hosts scoring under 1.5 goals.
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Betting Tips: Lokomotiv Moscow - Spartak Moscow
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