CSKA call on 'warrior' spirit in Spartak derby

MOSCOW: Reigning Russian champions Spartak face last season's runners-up CSKA in the Moscow derby on Saturday with the Red Army side's Nigerian striker Aaron Olanare telling his teammates to fight like "warriors".

"It will be a big match, a true derby," said Olanare who scored on Wednesday to help CSKA win 2-1 at Tosno.

"We will fight like real warriors. I'm confident that we will claim the win on Saturday."

CSKA lead the head-to-head record with Spartak in the post-Soviet era with 26 wins and 19 defeats, while 15 of their meetings have ended in draws.

"It's always a very special game for both teams and I hope we will show our top form on Saturday," said Spartak coach Massimo Carrera.

Table-topping Zenit St Petersburg and Lokomotiv Moscow will bid to extend their unbeaten runs.

Zenit, who lead the table on goal difference, will hope for a morale boost ahead of next week's Europa League play-off clash with Dutch side Utrecht when they take on Akhmat Grozny on Sunday.

However the match against the club from the capital of the Chechen republic will not be an easy outing as Akhmat have won their last three league meetings against Zenit.

"There are not run-of-themill matches in the Russian league," said Zenit coach Mancini.

"And we must give everything we have in every league encounter to be successful. The match with Akhmat will unlikely be an exception. We are preparing for a tough clash."

Lokomotiv face promoted Tosno having preserved their unbeaten start to the season with a last-minute goal which salvaged a 1-1 draw at Rubin Kazan in midweek. - AFP