Is There Still Hope for Zenit to Repeat CSKA’s Performance?

Vadim Vararu

Good question, isn’t it? Will the team from Petersburg be able to repeat PFC CSKA Moskva’s 2004 – 2005 success? Will they play as well as they did two years ago on the same UEFA Cup stage, against the same opponents? Will they find the power needed to turn round the result recorded at the Stade Velodrome? Arshavin’s goal, scored in the latter stages of the first leg, gives hope to Dick Advocaat’s team that they can proceed to the quarter-finals.

Zenit St. Petersburg started their UEFA Cup campaign in the 1^st round, winning against Standard Liege over two legs - 4:1. The group stage proved more difficult, after one victory over Larissa, two draws with Alkmaar and Nurnberg, and a loss in Liverpool against Everton, Zenit found their way through. A difference of just one point between them and AZ Alkmaar saved their 2007-2008 UEFA dream. Generally, till the game against Marseille, the squad from Neva’s shores played just one match against French representatives and this was in the group stage of 2004/2005 season against Lille.

Marseille’s path, on the other hand, was pretty shorter and easier, as they walked into the UEFA Cup latter stages directly after being eliminated from Champions League (3^rd place in Group A). Going deeper into history, the French side played a total of 10 games against clubs from Russia gaining 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. Marseille’s team saw off Spartak Moscow in their last game, a rough struggle, whose result nobody could guess before the final whistle was blown (Marseille 3:0 Spartak, Spartak 2:0 Marseille ). The French brigade must also remember very well the 2005-2006 season in the same competition, when Zenit gave them a good footballing lesson (Marseille 0:1 Zenit, Zenit 1:1 Marseille). Now, they have their chance to get revenge over the Russians for that.

An interesting fact is that after Lyon dropped out of the Champions League, Olympique Marseille remain the only one team to represent France in European competition, equally Zenit St. Petersburg are Russia’s last chance to get something from this European football year, besides their miraculous qualification in the final stage of the European Championships, which is quite another level.

It’s difficult is to predict the score in the second game between France’s fourth placed team (at the moment) and the Russian champions. But one thing we know exactly; Zenit have nothing to lose, so they will play attacking football, trying to transform all their chances into goals. And they have to do it intelligently, carefully and aggressively at the same time, if they want to obtain a good result. 2 goals difference, not too much, but not few enough at all, taking in considerations Marseille’s robust defensive line. Djibril Cisse’s brilliant form places even more pressure on Zenit’s decision to attack, as well as making coach Dick Advocaat think twice before he decides upon the final line-up.  

 

Also Dick Advocaat is going to have to guide his squad from the tribunes of the “Petrovsky” stadium, having been banned from the dugout and dressing room for 3 games. Surely, this will affect his ability to manage his players to the fullest extent, and this could reduce Zenit’s chances.

The sky over Zenit’s situation is not definitely murky, though. There are no weak teams at this stage of UEFA Cup, so we may expect the Russians to rise to the occasion, and they can surprise Marseille. Fans, surely, will do their job and the atmosphere promises to be an incendiary one, as both sides’ admirers are not “the most peaceful” in the world, especially if Zenit manage to score at the beginning of the match. The weather too seems to be on Zenit’s side, whose players are, certainly, more accustomed to Russia’s cold climate than Marseille’s African legionnaires.

British referee, Mike Riley and his assistants, Peter Kirkup and Philip Sharp will have to do their best to keep the match under control, taking in considerations that French as well as Russians play an aggressive enough style of football. 8 yellow cards and 2 red ones accumulated by Zenit’s players in the second match against Villareal prove it. Marseille’s side, meanwhile, have shown an average of 3-4 yellow cards per game and this lets us presume that there may be many fouls as the French defence works to stop Zenit’s forwards headed by Andrei Arshavin.

7 European clubs’ scouts were present at the first “battle” between Olympique Marseille and Zenit St. Petersburg. “Spies” from Stuttgart, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Blackburn, Juventus and Atletico de Madrid all came to check out the talent on display. Perhaps the source of their attention was striker Arshavin whose contribution to Zenit’s success is huge.

There are so many questions that will be answered after the decisive game. Two robust, well disciplined  teams meet in a game that will finally decide who deserves to continue its UEFA Cup adventure and who’ll stay at home, watching the rest of the competition on TV.

Russian football against French football; Zenit St. Petersburg versus Olympique Marseille; Arshavin versus Cisse. Very soon we will witness the continuation of a two year old story.