This match sees relegation favourites Arsenal Tula take on a new-look Rubin Kazan side looking to re-establish themselves after a disappointing 2015/16 season.
Arsenal Tula were undoubtedly the biggest losers of the Russian Premier League opening weekend as they were thrashed 4-0 by an on-fire Spartak Moscow. Although this defeat was hardly a surprise given their lack of players with a good level of RPL experience, it was the manner of the defeat which will concern manager Sergei Pavlov most. Their goal difference of minus four will be a mountain to overcome, especially against Rubin, as other teams will undoubtedly look to take advantage of Arsenal’s battering by Spartak. Although Tula will obviously want to win this match, they will probably have one eye looking ahead to the next two fixtures against possible relegation rivals in Anzhi Makhachkala and their fellow newly-promoted side FC Orenburg.
Javi Gracia’s Rubin have spent no less than €30m this summer and in the last week have converted former Barcelona midfielder Alex Song’s loan into a permanent transfer. Despite this outlay on expensive players, their opening fixture ended in a 0-0 home draw against Amkar Perm – one of the more average sides in the Russian Premier League. However, a senseless dive earned Maxim Kanunnikov a second yellow in the 35th minute of that match, perhaps if Rubin had played with 11 men for the whole match the outcome would have been different.
With so much pressure on the Kazan side due to their summer spending this game against lowly Arsenal Tula is a must-win, even at this early stage of the season.
Rubin should come out on top in this match and you get a win for them at decent value with Bet365 at 13/10.
Tula’s loss against Spartak showed just how vulnerable Sergei Pavlov’s side at the back so I would also go for Rubin to score over 1.5 goals at 6/4, again Bet365 offer good odds on this, with all the attacking potency that they possess.
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