Zenit St Petersburg - Sochi predictions and free betting tips [02/07/2024]

Today marks the inaugural friendly match for last season's Russian champions, Zenit St. Petersburg, as they face recently relegated Sochi in the Winline Summer Cup. 

Zenit

Zenit St. Petersburg capped off an exceptional season, securing the Russian Super Cup, the national championship, and the Russian Cup. Victories prompted a squad overhaul for the 2023/24 season, with several young Brazilian talents (Nino, Arthur, Pedro) joining the ranks. This initially complicated their objectives, resulting in early-season point losses. However, under Sergei Semak's guidance, the team found their form towards the season's end, defeating Akhmat Grozny (5:1) and Rostov (2:1). This, coupled with stumbles by Krasnodar and Dynamo Moscow, allowed Zenit to clinch the Russian Premier League title for the sixth consecutive time.

Their pre-season is highlighted by participation in summer tournaments, including the Zenit-hosted Winline Summer Cup. The tournament features both Russian and international teams. Zenit shares their group with Argentina's Talleres and Serbia's Red Star Belgrade, providing an excellent opportunity to test new players against strong opponents.

In their bid to strengthen the squad, Zenit welcomed promising young Russians Yuri Gorshkov from Krylia Sovetov (winning the race against Spartak Moscow for the defender) and Sergei Volkov from Krasnodar. Moreover, Zelimkhan Bakaev returned from the UAE, though his return may not significantly bolster the team due to limited playing time, and he may transfer to another club. Additionally, Zenit is actively negotiating the purchase of Alexander Sobolev from Spartak Moscow, which could be a crucial addition to their attacking prowess.

Sochi

Football Club Sochi, following their recent relegation from the Russian Premier League, embarks on their preparation for the upcoming season with the aim of returning to the top tier. The team concluded the previous season at the bottom of the table, finishing 16th, six points adrift of the play-off zone. Throughout the season, Sochi managed just five victories in 30 matches, conceding 48 goals in the process.

In light of last season's failures, the club management decided to retain Roberto Moreno as the head coach. Despite the setbacks, the team displayed improved performances in the latter half of the season, regularly accruing points, offering hope for a swift recovery and a potential return to the Premier League. Only two years ago, the club had reached lofty heights, securing a second-place finish in the 2021/22 season.

In the final five games of the past RPL season, Sochi secured only one victory, drawing with Rubin Kazan (1:1) and losing to Krasnodar (2:3), although they did trounce Pari NN (6:1). A squad overhaul in the off-season has already commenced. The club parted ways with Victorien Angban, who transferred to Dynamo Makhachkala, Nikita Goylo and Alexei Sutormin who returned to Zenit from loan, Sergio Cordova who moved back to Alanyaspor, and Yuri Medvedev who also left the team. Concurrently, Sochi bolstered their roster with new signings: Ruslan Bart joined from Akron for €220 thousand, Vladislav Lazarev from Baltika, Safronov from Rotor, and Vladislav Levin from Tula Arsenal.

Head-to-Head

In the last five matches against Sochi, Zenit showcased confident performances, remaining unbeaten and securing three clean-sheet victories. In the most recent RPL campaign, Zenit defeated Sochi twice: on 25 November 2023 with a 3-0 scoreline (goals from Rodrigo, Mostovoy, and Isidor) and on 7 October 2023 with a 2-0 result (goals from Claudinho and Cassierra).

In other matches of the series, Zenit drew with Sochi on 27 May 2023 (1:1), demolished them on 24 October 2022 (7:0), and won a friendly match on 25 June 2022 by 2-1 after a penalty shootout. This statistic underscores Zenit's dominance.

Predictions for Zenit vs Sochi

Zenit are evidently two levels above their opponents, yet this is their first game following a grueling season. It’s uncertain whether their many Brazilian legionnaires will start, coupled with the likelihood of new Russian signings and a number of youth players getting their chances. I’d place a bet on Sochi with a positive handicap.