by Aleks V |


They're back.

Dynamo Moscow reserved themselves a spot in the 2017/18 Russian Premier League less than a year after being relegated for the first time in their 93-year history.

The club, which currently plays in the Football National League, Russia's First Division, won promotion with seven games to go, breaking a six-year league record for earliest promotion (in 2013, FC Ural won promotion with five games remaining).

A scoreless draw against FC Khimki meant the results of the Baltika-SKA Khabarovsk match would determine their fate. As luck would have it, 90 minutes in Kaliningrad produced an identical scoreboard, guaranteeing Dynamo a top-two finish.

The Blue-and-Whites also extended their unbeaten run in the FNL to 13 games.


Midfielder, Anatoli Katrich, has had a standout performance, racking up a goal and three assists in the last four games.

Dynamo goalkeeper, Anton Shunin, has noticeably improved in goal under Goalkeeper Coach, Roman Berezovsky. The former Dynamo and Armenia keeper fine-tuned Shunin's skills over the course of the season, contributing to the team's goal difference of +30.

The back line is a story as well, with such talents as Swedish centre-back, Sebastian Holmén, Australian international, Luke Wilkshire, and seasoned club veteran, Vladimir Rykov.

In less than a season in charge, Head Coach, Yuri Kalitvintsev, reinvigorated a team whose spirit was at an all-time low. A former Dynamo player, Kalitvintsev, who led Ukraine to victory in the 2009 UEFA Under-19 Euro, was the perfect choice to lead the historic side. He brought together both young and experienced players, whose collective effort now boasts a 22-8-3 (W-D-L) record.

by Aleks V |



In April 2017, the U.S. Women's National Football Team will play two friendly games against Russia in Texas. They last met in 2014, also playing two games on U.S. soil. Those came after a 12-year hiatus.

The last time the U.S. Men's National Football Team played Russia was in 2012, a friendly that ended in a 2:2 draw at Kuban Stadium in Krasnodar. They've only met 10 times in both the Soviet and post-Soviet eras. Their first and only meeting in official competition was the 1988 Olympic Games in South Korea, where the USSR walked away with a 4:2 victory, finishing top of Group C and knocking the US out of the tournament. The Soviet team went on to beat Brazil in an extra-time final.



At club level, the two probably last met in 1990, when the likes of CSKA and Dynamo Moscow played friendlies against the Atlanta Chiefs and Washington Diplomats. One such game was fittingly played in Washington D.C., where Dynamo won against the Diplomats 6:1.

A lot has changed on both the sporting and political arenas since then. The fall of the Soviet Union led to the establishment of a Top Division, and in 2001, the Russian Premier League. The 90's gave rise to Major League Soccer and a World Cup held in the US. Both leagues continue to have their share of struggles. Unfortunately, the same can be said about relations between the two countries.

In an ever-increasingly competitive world, no one nation or league can claim to be "the best". Being one of the best, however, is certainly not out of reach, and can be achieved much quicker by working together.

The countries' top soccer leagues can do just that.


MLS
- Est. 1993
- Teams: 22
- Reserve league: integrated into USL Pro League
- Coverage in US: available on cable; limited access on local channels (Spanish-language TV)
- Pro Rel: no

RPL
- Est. 2001
- Teams: 16
- Reserve league: yes
- Coverage in Russia: Match TV (public), NTV+ (satellite)
- Pro Rel: yes

Right off the bat, two of MLS's biggest problems come into view: lack of accessibility for viewers and absence of promotion/relegation between leagues.

Despite having pro/rel, the RPL faces a different kind of dilemma: Clubs that are promoted often lack funds to compete in the top league. Many of the clubs in the second tier, known as the Football National League, are struggling financially, as are some top tier "regulars". However, this does not stop teams like FC Rostov from competing in Europe (they've played in the Europa League Round of 16).


Various factors have affected attendance figures in both leagues. Other leagues vie for fans' attention. In MLS, Designated Players like David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Steven Gerrard play a big role in attracting fans, who are used to that kind of marketing elsewhere (it's the equivalent of going to see a Johnny Depp movie). That said, it would be interesting to see the RPL and MLS do a domestic DP or star player swap. Although 18 players from the former Soviet Union (four from Russia) have played for MLS, only one player, Yura Movsisyan (Armenia), has been a Designated Player in Major League Soccer. By contrast, just a handful of players with US citizenship have played in Russia's top tier. Forward Eugene Starikov, originally from Ukraine, played on loan at FC Rostov and Tom Tomsk in 2010-2013. Zurab Tsiskaridze, who was born in Georgia but also holds US citizenship, is a rare case - he played in MLS and the NASL early in his career, and later made three appearances for Amkar Perm in Russia.

Much of the Russian Premier League's attendance woes can be attributed to post-Soviet era hardships, the economy being one of them. Another factor is stadium safety. Some of the older stadiums need a little TLC. Hooliganism has sometimes marred the experience for law-abiding fans and families.

The fall of the Soviet Union undoubtedly left its mark on attendance figures. The lowest all-time attendance for the Soviet Top League from 1970 onward, a little over 18,000, is still higher than last season's RPL average attendance. In 1971, the Soviet Top League had an average attendance of over 30,000 fans per game. By contrast, the highest average attendance of the Russian Premier League in the past 14 years was 13,115 (2007 season).

A lesser-known reason for the RPL's empty seats: Russian football clubs weren't as popular as other teams in the last decades of the Soviet Top League. Georgia's Dinamo Tbilisi had the highest average attendance of any team in 10 out of 21 seasons. Russian clubs recorded the highest average attendance only four times in 40 years. The difference was substantial - in the 1977 season, for instance, Dinamo Tbilisi had an average attendance of 68,200, while Zenit St. Petersburg came second with 27,667.



Most viewed games in 2015/16 (TV/internet):
RPL 2015/16: Spartak-CSKA - 8.1 million
MLS 2016: LA Galaxy vs San Jose Earthquakes - 1,000,000




On to the business side of things.

After NTV+ morphed into Match TV, the league signed a contract for three seasons and will earn around 1.6 billion rubles (about $22 million) per season from the TV rights. As for international TV rights, the RPL struck a deal with IMG in 2016 for around $7 million.

Though the TV rights for MLS are more than triple that of the RPL, the former was behind in total revenue and revenue per club in 2015.

Compared to the world's top ten soccer leagues, MLS are 9th in total revenue. The RPL is 7th.

Despite dwindling attendance, the RPL was ahead of MLS in revenue and average salary in the 2014-15 season. TV viewership for the 2015/16 season's most watched game was also significantly higher than that of MLS. When it comes to fans in the stands, however, MLS is far ahead.

There's room for improvement for both leagues that can be achieved through collaboration. Organization of international friendly matches across the US or Russia would boost the popularity of both leagues, especially if done in tandem with TV deals, with channels that normally air the leagues carrying select games from both. A recent precedent: The U.S. U-20 MNT played a friendly against Russia U-21s in Marbella, Spain in November 2014.

What more can be done, you ask? Collaboration between the nations' youth development programs can help improve the levels of training and produce more talented youth products. An exchange program can give young players from both nations the opportunity to gain valuable playing experience abroad.



Upon arriving in Washington, D.C. in 1990, Dynamo Moscow were greeted at the Sign of the Whale cafe. According to a fan, the cafe was named after Operation Breakthrough, an effort of both American and Soviet rescuers to save whales trapped in ice at the shores of Alaska. The peril of one of the whales and the slim chances of survival of the others made some question the resources that were spent.

It seems that almost no joint efforts between the two powers can take place without being met by controversy or criticism. To paraphrase Edward R. Murrow, many who indulge in this criticism didn't create the situation; they merely exploit it.

by Aleks V |

Misimovic in action for Guizhou Renhe. Photo: sop.ba

Former Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg, Galatasaray, and Dynamo Moscow midfielder Zvjezdan Misimovic has retired from professional football. Despite having a year left on his contract with Chinese side Beijing Renhe (formerly Guizhou Renhe), the 34-year-old decided to hang up his boots.

At club level, Misimovic made 506 appearances in all competitions, scoring 136 goals and making 141 assists.

Although he struggled to break into the first team at Bayern Munich at the start of his career, he shone for the reserves, netting in 44 goals in 103 games.

His career includes a historic 2008/09 season at Wolfsburg. "The Plum", as he was known in Germany, helped the club win their first Bundesliga title, ending the season with the most assists (20). He also helped teammates Grafite and Edin Dzeko become the league's top scorers with a combined record total of 54 goals. The three formed a memorable attacking trio.

Misimovic had a decade-long presence at Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he wore the captain's armband. He's the national team's second most-capped player and third all-time goal scorer. One of his most notable performances was a hat-trick in Bosnia's 7-0 win over Estonia in a 2010 World Cup Qualifier.

The attacking midfielder joined Dynamo Moscow from Galatasaray in 2011 and quickly became one of the club's key players. He could always be counted on in the toughest of games, from derbies to Cup competition. Misimovic was a true playmaker. Although goal scoring wasn't his main line of duty, he netted in quite a few, many of which were late goals from the spot. His penalties in the quarterfinal and semifinal of the 2011-12 Russian Cup included a match winner against Zenit and a 73rd minute equalizer against Volga Nizhny Novgorod, respectively. Without a doubt, Mr. Penalty was always a joy to watch.

Setting up goals, though, was his forte. Championat.com writer Sergei Titov wrote in 2015:

"Misimovic, who can come up with a brilliant assist, sitting on a chair and drinking coffee, would be useful even to the current Dynamo, who have Valbuena."

Misimovic assists Kevin Kuranyi in his debut for Dynamo, a derby against Lokomotiv.

The midfielder spent the last three years of his career in China. As one fan put it, he went there "before it was mainstream". With Guizhou Renhe, he won the 2013 Chinese FA Cup and 2014 Chinese Super Cup. He played 105 games at his last club, scoring 18 goals and making 50 assists.

Misimovic first announced his retirement in 2015. That year, I compared another Dynamo Moscow player, Kevin Kuranyi, with basketball's Michael Jordan. Yet it was Zvjezdan Misimovic who compared himself to Jordan when he chose to un-retire. He had hoped Beijing Renhe would retain their position in the Chinese Super League. Unfortunately, the team finished 15th that season and were relegated to the second tier. A fourth place finish in 2016 was not enough to win promotion to China's top division.

There were, of course, other players - and rock bands - that have retired and come back again. Paul Scholes played a testimonial, but then decided to have one more go. The Rolling Stones did multiple Farewell Tours, only to keep on touring. Like many a football and music fan, they just "can't get no satisfaction". Misimovic, it seems, finally has.

A "legend" and "the last romantic" to his fans, he only ever got one straight red card in his 16-year career.

Misimovic and Dzeko at Wolfsburg.

Zvjezdan Misimovic, your country thanks you.

Your clubs thank you.

And I thank you.

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Yuriy Kalitvintsev with the 2009 UEFA U-19 Euro trophy. Source: fc-dynamo.ru

Dynamo Moscow's Board of Directors announced Yuriy Kalitvintsev as the football club's new manager, taking over from interim Sergei Chikishev. The 48-year-old Volgograd native played as a midfielder for the club from 1992-1994, making a total of 107 appearances in all competitions and scoring 16 goals, including a hat-trick in a friendly against Italian side Brescia Calcio.

Yuriy Kalitvintsev won most of his silverware at Dynamo Kiev, including four Ukrainian championships, two Cups, and two CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) Cups.

He was consistently named one of the top players in both the Russian and Ukrainian championships. He acquired Ukrainian citizenship and was capped 22 times for the Ukraine national team, scoring one goal in their 1-0 win against Croatia in Euro 1996 Qualifying.



His son, Vladislav Kalitvintsev, seems no less gifted. The youngest player to debut for Dynamo Kiev in the modern era, he's already tallied a Premier League title and two Ukrainian Cups.



Kalitvintsev's coaching career has had its ups and downs. After a short spell at Ukraine side Zakarpattia (now FC Hoverla Uzhhorod), he headed Ukraine's Under-19 national team on two occasions, leading them to victory in the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Championship during his second spell.

He lost out to Myron Markevych and then Oleh Blokhin for the job at the senior team, although he did join the coaching staff of both managers, serving as caretaker after Markevych's resignation.

Volga Nizhny Novgorod gave Kalitvintsev a long-awaited chance to return to the role of head coach. However, his stay at the Russian Premier League was short-lived - appointed to the helm in January 2013, he resigned in March the following year. The club's financial problems took a toll on results - they were 14th in the Premier League with just 18 points after 22 games. Kalitvintsev's Volga were in 7th before the players stopped getting paid, however.

In his first press conference as manager of Dynamo Moscow, Kalitvintsev immediately set his sights higher than simply returning the storied club, relegated last season for the first time in their 93-year history, to the top tier of Russian football. He emphasized the need for the club to have a long-term development strategy, one that is conducive to its homegrown players. He expressed his desire to work closely with the head coach of the club's farm team.

Kalitvintsev's coaching approach will undoubtedly differ from that of his predecessors. "We will communicate with the players," he said. "The team will keep those players who are willing to work, not just earn money."

Kalitvintsev's coaching staff consists of Gennadiy Litovchenko and Yuri Kovtun from his Volga days, as well as ex-Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky.

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

The second half of the 2015-16 Russian Premier League season kicks off on Saturday, March 5, with Krylya Sovetov hosting FC Rostov at 14:15 Moscow Time (6:15 a.m. ET). The winter transfer window has produced some exciting additions, giving us plenty to look forward to.

10. The Kuban step

Felipe Santana. Photo: FC Kuban

A struggling Kuban Krasnodar made the best out of the winter transfer window with seven free signings, including Schalke centre back Felipe Santana. The club will still need to pay its players, however. Kuban's financial woes led to a growing debt, with some players not being payed in months. The club's General Director Valery Statsenko said that the debts are currently being paid, and will soon disappear entirely. Meanwhile, manager Sergey Tashuev is tasked with crafting a new team mid-season. It'll be quite challenging, but when you're bottom of the table, there's not much else to do. Will Kuban find a money wise approach to rescue them from the impending doom of relegation?

9. The Bright cousin

Amkar Perm's new signings. Bright Dike is number 10. Photo: FC Amkar Perm

Chinedu Bright Dike, cousin of ex-Spartak forward Emmanuel Emenike, joined mid-table club Amkar Perm this winter as a free agent. The American-born Nigerian forward, who's also the older brother of FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup runner-up Courtney Dike, previously played in the U.S., where he scored 20 goals in 50 games for MLS club Portland Timbers, and had a great run at USL side Orange County Blues FC (6 goals and 2 assists in 10 appearances). It's not every day a former MLS player makes the move to Russia - Yura Movsisyan did so in 2011 - so there will be some added interest to his performance from abroad.

8. Ezekiel sees the Lokomotiv wheel

Photo: FC Lokomotiv on Twitter

The RPL's most expensive signing this winter was Ezekiel Henty, who joined Lokomotiv Moscow from Slovenian club NK Olimpija for 5 million euros. The 22-year-old winger's performance this season in the Prva Liga certainly justifies the sum - eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances. Plus, he doubles as a centre-forward.

7. Luke brings back the Force

Luke Wilkshire. Photo: FC Terek Grozny

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of big name signings, Australian right-back Luke Wilkshire quietly made his way back to Russia. The defender joined Terek Grozny in November as a free agent, being unattached since leaving Dutch side Feyenoord in August, but was only confirmed in the roster this winter. Last season found Luke struggling with thigh injuries, yet eking out four assists in 27 appearances, including one in Europa League qualifying. At his best, he's a great asset to the back line. He'll fit right in with Terek's powerful defense - the team lost only two games this season and conceded the second lowest number of goals. A winning equation has two parts, and Luke's ability to provide opportunities in the attack can help the 7th placed team move into Europa League territory. We can all be certain the Force is still strong with this one.

6. The young and the restless

21-year-old Tashaev had a goal and an assist in Dynamo's winter friendlies. Photo: rfpl.org

As the second youngest team in the Russian Premier League (average age: 25.9), Dynamo Moscow are entering a new era. It may be one of great difficulty, unexpected surprises, or both. After multiple seasons of transfer shenanigans, UEFA put their foot down, pushing the Moscow club to make adjustments with regards to Financial Fair Play. Dynamo ended up selling their most expensive players - mostly foreigners - and introducing salary caps. With these limits in place, they've had to rely on their U21s, some of who, like Tashaev, Terekhov, Katrich, and Obolskiy, have shown they can play well at the highest level. Dynamo's winter transfer window was marked by the departure of the overrated (Kokorin), the arrival of the underrated (Sebastian Holmen), and a blast from the past in the form of fullback Andrey Eshchenko, on loan until the end of the season a decade after his first loan spell at Dynamo. Like Kuban's Tashuev, Dynamo coach Andrey Kobelev is tasked with rebuilding a team. The only manager to lead Dynamo to a top 3 finish in the 21st century, Kobelev won't follow where the path may lead - he'll leave yet another trail.

5. FC Krasnodar's new stadium

Digital rendering of FC Krasnodar's new stadium.

Andres Villas-Boas is known for his constant complaints regarding the quality of pitches with artificial turf. It won't be long before he shows up to nail his 95 theses on the door of the Russian Football Union. Krasnodar's new stadium, however, won't make the list. The Bulls' new home, which will seat 33,000, is set to host its first game this summer. The turf is au naturale. If it opens in time to see AVB off, one thing's for sure - there's no chance of him complaining about this one.

4. AVB's farewell

Andres Villas-Boas. Photo: Instagram

Andres Villas-Boas has chosen to leave the reigning RPL champions at the end of the season. Under the Portuguese manager, Zenit won the 2014-15 Russian Premier League title and 2015 Super Cup. They are currently the last Russian team standing in Europe. They're also in the semi-finals of the domestic cup tournament. With the title still at stake, there are three opportunities for silverware. If Villas-Boas adds to his trophy collection before leaving Russia, he'll certainly fulfill his mission of "doing for Zenit what Peter the Great did for St. Petersburg".

3. Roman Shirokov

Roman Shirokov. Photo: pfc-cska.com

This is a no-brainer - the Russia national team captain's return to the club where he began his career was one of the biggest transfers this winter. The fact that he joined from Spartak Moscow only adds some extra spice to the derby. As a youth player, Shirokov never made CSKA's senior team. He has something to prove, and that means we'll likely see the return of the original, critically acclaimed midfielder who shone for Zenit five years ago. Leonid Slutsky, who is doing double duty at CSKA and Russia's NT, will be able to keep a better eye on him and help bring back the Shirokov we all love and look forward to seeing.

2. Alenichev's Spartak

"The title is that way." Photo: rfpl.org

Dmitri Alenichev said it loud and clear: He wants to win the title. Spartak are currently fourth, four points behind second placed Rostov and seven behind leaders CSKA. Despite the departure of a handful of key players like Movsisyan and Ozbiliz, Spartak only made one signing in the winter transfer window, acquiring the talented Paraguayan winger Lorenzo Melgarejo from Kuban Krasnodar. However, that signing was a good one - together with Quincy Promes, Spartak now have the season's top two goal scorers at their disposal. For a team with title ambitions, that may come in handy.

1. FC Rostov: A Cinderella Story

Kurban Berdyev: the man with a plan. Photo: FC Rostov

Rostov are the RPL's Leicester City. If Miodrag Bozovic was the Nigel Pearson to the RPL's Leicester, then Kurban Berdyev is their Claudio Ranieri, taking over and finishing what the other began. It's hard to imagine that a team that finished last season in the relegation play-offs is currently 2nd (!) behind CSKA, and has a realistic shot at their first Premier League title. Under Berdyev, Rostov have conceded the least number of goals of any RPL club this season. With 12 more games and 36 possible points left in the season, they'll do their best to keep the dream alive.

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Photo: GETTY

Dynamo Moscow have an opportunity to repair their back line and sign productive forwards during this summer’s transfer window. The Blue-and-Whites are in luck – there are a number of young talents, both domestic and foreign, who are looking to prove themselves, as well as seasoned professionals who are eager to continue their careers at the top level. But will UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations get in the way?

Read More at RFN

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

FC Ural vs Dynamo Moscow. Photo: fcdynamo.ru

Fyodor Smolov netted in a late goal at Geolog Stadium in Tyumen to give FC Ural their first win against Dynamo Moscow since 1993, and three more points in their race for survival in the Russian Premier League. “Fyodor is in good psychological and physical shape, and he has craftsmanship,” noted Ural manager Alexander Tarkhanov. Smolov, on loan from Dynamo, has been playing the best season of his professional career. The forward created plenty of reason for unrest in the final third throughout the game and assisted captain Gerson Acevedo’s equalizer going into halftime, all before scoring a game-winning sideways volley from a Vladimir Khozin header on the 86th minute. 

Read more at RFN

by Aleks V | @aleksvee


This season’s race to escape relegation is closer than ever – a one point gap separates each team from the other. As it stands, all of the teams in the bottom four can escape the route to the FNL. Each team has three games remaining, a possible nine points and the chance to either leave the relegation zone or get a second shot at the Premier League via the relegation play-offs.

Read more at RFN

by Aleks V | @aleksvee


In summer 2010, Schalke 04 forward Kevin Kuranyi signed a contract with Dynamo Moscow. He had already made a name for himself in Germany playing for Stuttgart and Schalke, and was looking for a new challenge. As a free agent, he could have gone anywhere. Ultimately, he chose the Russian Premier League. Though there was interest from Zenit St Petersburg, who, unlike Dynamo, had already won the league title in the post-Soviet championship, the Moscow club had piqued his interest. Ironically, his first goal for the Blue-and-Whites was in a 1:1 draw against Zenit.

Read More at RFN

by Aleks V | @aleksvee

Week 19 of the 2014/15 Russian Premier League will feature one of the biggest fixtures of any season - the Moscow derby between Spartak and Dynamo. The oldest derby in Russian football was first played on June 17, 1923. Coincidentally, it was Dynamo Moscow's debut match. The game saw five goals, plenty of action, and a controversial late spot-kick that gave Spartak's predecessor, Krasnaya Presnya, the victory. To top it all off, the referee, Konstantin Kvashnin, would go on to play for and manage both sides! Needless to say, that game set the stage for a rivalry no lesser than the Manchester derby in England or El Derbi madrileno in Spain.

August 2014: The captains stand by for the coin toss. Photo: Konstantin Rybin

Dynamo and Spartak did not just dominate the Soviet Top League for many years, but also played together as one unit in the All-Union Spartakiad and sometimes traveled abroad representing Moscow in international friendlies. As with other rivalries, there were and still are players who leave one team for the other. Although such a move has long been regarded as betrayal, there is less of a stigma these days, since loyalty to one side for a long period of time is a rarity in modern football. Dynamo defender Vladimir Granat, currently on loan at Rostov, will join Spartak at the end of the season. A handful of managers have been at the helm for both sides. Dynamo's current head coach, Stanislav Cherchesov, played in goal for Spartak and managed the red-and-whites in 2007-2008.

While Dynamo's only domestic silverware since the collapse of the Soviet Union is the 1995 Russian Cup, Spartak were consistently successful at the dawn of post-Soviet football. The Romantsev era saw nine league titles, six of them consecutive, along with two Cup wins and a 1997-98 UEFA Cup semi-final appearance. Their streak began to peter out after Romantsev's exit, however. The club had seven managers in nine seasons, and while they did finish runners-up on five occasions, it's been almost 14 years since their last league title, and almost 12 since they last lifted the Russian Cup.

Dynamo, on the other hand, have not won a championship since 1976. The beginning of their title drought shifted the spotlight to their namesakes in Kiev, whose rivalry with Spartak attained a higher popularity in the 1970's. Spartak and Dynamo Moscow's form in recent years, however, has brought back potential for a resurgence of such games as the nostalgic among us have longed for. In the 2012/13 season, Spartak marked one of their biggest victories over Dynamo by winning four goals to nil. That same season, Dan Petrescu led the blue-and-whites to a 5:1 derby win, a score that they hadn't had against Spartak for 64 years.

Dynamo have yet to beat Spartak since that game. The start of the 2014/15 season marked the 200th match between Spartak and Dynamo, a 2:1 win for the red-and-whites away at Arena Khimki.

For the second season, Dynamo's unbeaten streak was cut short at 18 games as they went down 3:1 to Napoli in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16. Spartak saw their own unbeaten run come to an end - after seven home games without a loss, Yakin's men lost 3:1 to Krasnodar on the 8th of March.

Dynamo go into Sunday's game with the spectre of a European play-off round, while Spartak, free from the burden of other competitions, will be looking to rediscover their home field advantage. A six-point gap separates 7th place Spartak from 3rd place Dynamo. At this point in the season, every victory can have a monumental impact. Spartak's patience with managers is always hanging by a thread, and Dynamo are long overdue for a top three finish. What awaits us this time in the biggest Moscow derby?

Spartak Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow - Fast Facts:
200 games played (72-69-59)
Goals: 281-264

2014/15 RPL - Week 19
Spartak Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow
13:30 MSK (6:30am ET)
Otrkitie Arena
Referee: Aleksei Nikolaev
Suspensions: Kim Kallstrom (Spartak)

* Referee Aleksei Nikolaev has officiated three Spartak-Dynamo derbies (2 draws, 1 Spartak win) in which he gave out 17 yellow cards. In each game, he sent off a player after two bookings (2 Spartak, 1 Dynamo).

Russian Premier League, Week 11
Dynamo Moscow 0:2 Rubin Kazan
Venue: Arena Khimki
Referee: Igor Nizovtsev (Nizhniy Novgorod)
Goals: 0-1 Ozdoev (48), 0-2 Kanunnikov (71)
Cautions: Kuzmin (12), Ozdoev (41), Zhirkov (51), Buttner (53), Georgiev (68), Kanunnikov (90), Ryzhikov (90+2)

Ozdoev and Vainqueur vie for the ball. Source: Epsilon/Getty Images Europe

There isn't much to say about Dynamo Moscow's loss at home to Rubin Kazan that hasn't already been said when it comes to the Blue-and-Whites previous disappointments. Every problem with today's match has already been addressed and is no new discovery, but rather an annoying sequel that seems to have no ending. With the exception of Vladimir Gabulov in goal, most of the team had a rather poor, lackluster performance. It wasn't entirely expected, considering the team's recent form in the Europa League - a 3rd consecutive victory in the group stage. Unfortunately, Stanislav Cherchesov's side seemed to lack the flair and spark that characterized much of their European success. Say all you want about the month-long Premier League break and the postponed match against Amkar; coming off a 3rd Europa League win should have been enough of a motivator.

Rubin Kazan came off a 5-0 thrashing of Mordovia Saransk, and were themselves in need of points to keep up with the other top 5 contenders. Their solid defense, combined with the absence of accuracy in Dynamo's attack, led to the Blue-and-Whites' first RPL defeat since their game against Zenit in September. The teams seemed to start off on an equal footing, but as halftime drew near, it became evident that the hosts needed to step things up. Surprisingly, they did - thanks to Mathieu Valbuena, whose solo efforts resulted in save after save from Rubin keeper Sergei Ryzhikov. One player doesn't make the team, however, and Dynamo failed to carry the momentum into the second half. Only three minutes in, Magomed Ozdoev, on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow, scored his first goal for Rubin. Getting away from several players, including William Vainqueur, Ozdoev found plenty of space in front of goal and left Gabulov powerless. Rubin looked threatening on the counter, and one of these attacks led to their second goal. After a typical ineffective Dynamo corner, Rubin captain Kuzmin had a brilliant run that ended in a far post delivery to Maksim Kanunnikov. Douglas, who wasn't focused on marking his man, posed no problem for the Rubin forward, who netted in the visitors' second of the evening. The absence of captain Gokdeniz Karadeniz and Carlos Eduardo in midfield did not slow down the Volzhane. In fact, manager Rinat Bilyaletdinov noted ex-Dynamo forward Vladimir Dyadyun's excellent performance in place of Karadeniz. Rubin are not an easy opponent, even without Karadeniz and Eduardo in midfield. Together with goalkeeper Ryzhikov, they have one of the strongest defenses in the league, especially in away games, and that was clearly visible all throughout the 90 minutes. That being said, Dynamo still lacked accuracy on the finish, and sometimes, there wasn't much of a finish at all.

The usual suspects in Kozlov and Douglas made mistakes in defense, and were responsible for both of the opposition's goals. Douglas, who seemed to be improving in recent games, may be going back to his previous problematic spell. Kevin Kuranyi was bashed by the commentators upon coming off, although he rarely saw the ball and was subbed off in the second half. Aleksandr Kokorin came off the bench to help in the attack, but although he saw more of the ball, he had only one shot on goal and was unable to put Ryzhikov to the test. Even in moments when the opposition was a player down (Ozdoev was receiving attention off the pitch) or gave up plenty of space, the Blue-and-Whites failed to take advantage, and looked almost like a hockey team that can't make use of the power play.

Valbuena was undoubtedly Dynamo's top performer. Dynamo goalkeeper Gabulov may be the most-improved; except for one fumble where he let go of the ball in front of the net, he was at the ready for most of Rubin's attempts. Rubin goalkeeper Ryzhikov was deservedly named Man of the Match. All of Dynamo's shots on target saw excellent saves by the keeper.

The usual problems in the attack - no accuracy on the finish and few chances on target - are ever present for Dynamo. Lots of balls were going through the top, another issue for the Blue-and-Whites - they would have had far more chances if they had kept the ball lower. Set pieces were rarely a challenge for Rubin to defend, and are something Cherchesov's side need to work on.

When it comes to tactics, Bilyaletdinov clearly outplayed Cherchesov, parking the bus when needed and launching his team into swift counter-attacks. Rubin may have had less possession, but made the most of their chances, and could have netted in more. The game could have ended 4:2 or 4:3 to Rubin, had both sides made the most of their attempts.

All in all, a disappointment, but hopefully a wake-up call for Cherchesov and co.

Miodrag Bozovic resigns from FC Rostov amid the club's financial dilemmas

If you've ever seen contestants walk away on 'Millionaire', you've probably wondered whether or not they should have. They came to gamble, after all, and after making it through to Round Two, there's no harm in wanting to live a little. Then comes the stumper. The contestant frantically digs within his mind for the slightest hint, but to no avail. He or she must come to terms with a reality that's quite different from when the game began.

Bozovic's Final Answer. Illustration © 2014 AleksVArts.

The same thing can be said about Miodrag Bozovic's resignation as manager of FC Rostov, where the reality has become a most negative one. Although his leaving may be attributed to Rostov's crashing out of the Europa League and 1/16 of the Russian Cup, there are other factors that have undoubtedly influenced his decision. It's a greater loss for Rostov than it is for Bozovic; the club will have great difficulty finding a decent manager whose salary demands will fit their depleted budget.

Part of Rostov's dilemma can be traced back to the pre-season conflict with the Russian Football Union (RFU), the latter refusing to grant the club a license to play in Europe due to an alleged breach of financial fair play regulations. At the same time, RFU president Nikolai Tolstykh admitted he was aware of complaints from the club's players concerning debts since 2009, while choosing to punish the team at a very specific moment - right after they won the 2013/14 Russian Cup, their first major trophy in 84 years. The Cup gave Rostov a spot in the UEFA Europa League play-off round. The club successfully appealed to the SAC (Sporting Arbitration Court) in Lausanne, Switzerland, and were granted the right to participate in this season's Europa League competition. Had the appeal been denied, Spartak Moscow, who finished 6th last season, would have been given the coveted UEL spot.

Since then, most, if not all, games featuring Rostov have had questionable refereeing decisions directed towards the side. The refereeing, along with the club's accumulated debts, has yielded poor results, unmotivated players, and ultimately, the head coach's exit.

As many an influential person has already said, Tolstykh's approach to the problem was uncalled-for; any legal issues should be settled among the appropriate persons, and certainly shouldn't affect the coach or the performance of his players.

Putting aside a rather cold and unforgiving RFU pres., we turn our attention to a problematic club management. "All of Rostov's current problems are only due to the lack of funding," said ex-Spartak Moscow president Andrei Chervichenko in an interview with Gazeta.ru. "The coaching staff, manager, and players are all excellent. Unfortunately, money rules almost everything these days, and in this regard, Rostov is far behind the other clubs in the Premier League." Unlike clubs with big corporate sponsors, FC Rostov is funded by the club's city; since March, its title sponsor has been an electrical distributor that is part of the TNS Energy Group. However, players have also received sums in addition to their contract from grants issued by a regional foundation for the promotion of sport. Such a model potentially allowed the club to dodge taxes, as well as to accustom its players to lavish salaries. Nevertheless, FC Rostov's vice president claimed the foundation has been inoperative since 2006.

Chervichenko has alleged that much of the city's budget has been going to Ukrainian refugees who have settled there. According to a recent article, however, the Russian government has been allocating money from the federal budget specifically for the purpose of aiding the refugees who have fled to Rostov and other regions of Russia. Many of the Ukrainian refugees who had settled in the Rostov region have begun returning as peace is restored in Eastern Ukraine. The question, then, is where the rest of Rostov's budget has been going. It is evident that certain portions of money - namely, those set aside to fund the football club - are not ending up where they should.

Thus, we wind up with a manager who is unable to sign new players and is limited to a partly stale, apathetic roster. Bozovic is a rare breed of manager for whom football is about the game and not the money. Unfortunately, there are few people in football that are like him.

Bozovic's exit from Rostov was like a contestant with no lifelines walking away on Millionaire. He walks a Russian Cup winner and Super Cup runner-up, and without potentially tarnishing his managerial record with a sacking or relegation. He has done all he could, and upon realizing that he cannot affect a situation beyond his control, walks, not away from, but towards a new opportunity to do what's in his power as a football manager. Whether that will entail saving another team from relegation, or stabilizing a side in the middle of the table, the Count will undoubtedly begin his new adventure "with too high a spirit to be encumbered" by the blunders and absurdities of everyday life, and will continue to leave his mark in the history of football.