Russian Premier League: Lokomotiv Moscow Hosts Krylya Sovetov Samara in Bid to Cement Top Spot
In Round 7 of the Russian Premier League, third-placed Lokomotiv Moscow will host ninth-placed Krylya Sovetov Samara at RZD Arena. Lokomotiv Moscow enters the match in excellent form, unbeaten in their last five official games, while Krylya Sovetov Samara will be looking to bounce back from two consecutive league defeats. This fixture holds significant importance for both teams.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
This match marks Round 7 of the 2025-26 Russian Premier League season, also known as the Mir Russian Premier League for sponsorship reasons [27]. As Russia's top-tier football competition, this season features 16 teams [3, 4, 13]. Lokomotiv Moscow currently sits in third place in the league table with 14 points [34], showing strong momentum towards challenging for the top spot. They aim to close the gap on the leaders, potentially even reaching first place with a victory. The visiting team, Krylya Sovetov Samara, is in ninth position with 8 points [34], and they desperately need points to improve their standing and steer clear of relegation threats. The Russian Premier League operates a promotion and relegation system, where the bottom two teams are directly relegated, and the 13th and 14th-placed teams face promotion/relegation playoffs against the third and fourth-placed teams from the Russian Football National League [17, 27].
Recent Form
Lokomotiv Moscow has displayed excellent form in their last five official matches, remaining unbeaten. They have secured three wins and two draws [34, 41], including a 3-3 draw against FC Rostov [41] and a 1-1 draw against Baltika in the league [41], as well as a 2-0 victory over Baltika in the Russian Cup [41]. The team boasts a strong attack, having scored 16 goals this season so far [3]. Krylya Sovetov Samara, on the other hand, faces a more challenging period, with just one win, one draw, and three losses in their last five official games [34, 41]. Their recent league outings saw them suffer a heavy 0-6 defeat to Krasnodar [41] and a 1-3 loss to Akhmat Grozny [41], which may have impacted team morale.
Key Players & Injury News
For Lokomotiv Moscow, key attacking players include top scorer Aleksey Batrakov [21, 27], with Dmitry Vorobyev and Sergey Pinyaev also posing significant offensive threats [21]. According to recent reports, Lokomotiv Moscow currently has no major injuries or suspensions [10]. Krylya Sovetov Samara's key players include Vadim Rakov and Amar Rahmanović, who are vital for their scoring efforts [15, 25]. For Krylya Sovetov, midfielder Vladimir Khubulov is recovering from a muscle injury and is expected to return in early September 2025 [26], making him a likely absentee for this match.