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Head coach Luciano Spalletti gestures during the Russian Premier League match between FC Dinamo Moscow and FC Zenit St. Petersburg at the Arena Khimki Stadium on August 24, 2013 in Khimki, Russia. (Getty Images)
Zenit-Porto
These two clubs are just starting to get to know each other quite well, meeting in the group stages for the second time in three years. And a repeat result of Zenit’s success then should be on the cards.
The loss of James Rodriguez and João Moutinho has further enhanced Porto’s status as a selling club rather than a club with real ambitions of once again conquering Europe like they did almost 10 years ago.
If Zenit just about got the better of Porto two years ago with Hulk on the opposite team, with him now on their side, the Russians should be able to rely on their strength to come through.
In Portugal, a hard night awaits where the atmosphere is always red hot, but in Russia just like against Atletico, only a win should be deemed acceptable.
The games against the Portuguese champions fall together as the double header in on match days three and four, two games which will surely decide the fate of both sides.
Zenit-Austria Wien
It’s hard to know what to expect from a team that practically no one knows about, but last year’s struggles against Anderlecht should be enough for Zenit to treat these games with the utmost respect. The Austrians came through the qualifiers squeezing past Faroe Islands’ outfit FH, before seeing off regular group stage participants Dinamo Zagreb 4-3 on aggregate.
Experienced striker Roman Kienast will be the main threat along with Philipp Hosiner, who scored 32 goals domestically last season. In Vienna, Zenit won’t have it easy at all. In Russia things should be pretty straight forward if the mindset for the game is at it should be, but only time will tell just how dangerous this Austrian club can really be, and if they can realistically challenge for European football next spring.
A lot depends on just Zenit themselves rather than their opponents, though. Last season’s disappointing group stage campaign where they fell just a point short of the last 16 should serve as a good lesson for a club which desperately needs to make a real impact in this competition sooner or later.
New young goalkeeper Yury Lodygin has proved an instant hit with the Saint Petersburg faithful with some wonderful stops, with one stunning point blank save against Pacos in the qualifiers standing out, and Igor Smolnikov, a right-back signed from Krasnodar, has also made a great start to life with Zenit.
With troublemaker Igor Denisov now with Dynamo and Hulk staying put despite many summer rumours, coupled with excellent recent results, the Russians look to finally have the team spirit back, and appear set for a season which could make history.
Providing in team fights can be kept to a minimum, together with consistency on the pitch, the last 16 should be the least the club can expect, and a run to at least the quarterfinals is what Zenit should really be demanding.
