St. Petersburg will host game of the Week between Zenit and CSKA on Sunday.
Place: Russia, St. Petersburg, CSC Arena
Time: March 30, 2025, 14:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: Match TV, Start Triumph, League website
Rivalry
In 2022, Zenit defeated CSKA (4-3) in the United League Finals. Although the teams’ rivalry was principled even without this epic series. In the next 2 seasons, CSKA was stronger in the Playoffs, first leaving the St. Petersburg team without medals in the Third Place Series, and then surpassing Zenit on the way to another League title last season.
The clash between the teams in the Semifinals 2024 ended 4-2. The games ended with average difference of 15 points. There was the fight to the last and the winner failed to get a double-digit final advantage only in the last Game 6.
The first game between the teams this season was on October 13. The key to CSKA win was a solid defensive performance in the end – 83:77. In the following game on December 7, Zenit took revenge – 82:78, ending the Moscow team’s 11-game winning streak. On February 2, Xavier Pascual team celebrated win in Moscow – 79:66.
The rivalry history score in VTB League is 33-20, CSKA leads. Zenit has beaten the Moscow team more often than any other team in the League.
Motivation
The fourth clash between the top teams can be considered a kind of regular-season finale. The contenders have been sharing first place in the standings for a long time, with CSKA (34-5) ahead of Zenit (34-5) only by extra points. The Moscow team will face Samara, Enisey, Pari NN and UNICS after the direct rival. Zenit will face MBA-MAI, Uralmash, PARMA and Astana. There’s a high probability that the winner of the Game of the Week will retain the lead until the end of the regular season.
Streak
Zenit defeated Enisey in the last game and repeated the team’s all-time high winning streak. Prior to that, the St. Petersburg team managed to get a 15-game winning streak during the 2016/17 regular season.
The St. Petersburg team has won the last 7 games at home. The last loss was on January 11 against Lokomotiv Kuban.
CSKA has a 10-game winning streak, the second longest in the League so far.
Sold Out
Zenit sold out all tickets for the main game of the regular season long before it started. There will be more than 7,000 fans at the CSC Arena!
Attitude
Zenit guard Denis Zakharov didn’t argue when he was told during an interview that “the whole season was probably started for this game”:
– Everyone understands that this is, yes, an important game. In theory, it’s for first place in the regular season. But we’ll be as tuned in as we are for the next one. There is no such thing as playing with someone half-heartedly, with someone at full strength. Everyone understands the importance of the game, so we’ll be at our best.
Duel
Alexey Shved vs. Melo Trimble.
The former CSKA player will play his second game against his former team in Zenit. The first such case caused a huge resonance. On February 2, Shved played for the second time for the St. Petersburg team after the return, scoring 9 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists. Alexey is used to wear Zenit jersey, but the new clash with the Moscow team will also be principle.
CSKA has an equally skilled sharpshooter. Melo Trimble is averaging 19.3 points and ranking among the Top 5 best scoring players in the League. The guard is performing very well in offence and key games.
Numbers
CSKA leads the season in scoring average with 91.8 points. CSKA is also the best in 3-point percentage (40.0) and assists (20.9).
Zenit makes less turnovers in the League – 10.9 on average.
Xavier Pascual can overtake Rimas Kurtinaitis in the number of wins with one team in case of success on Sunday. Former CSKA coach Dimitris Itudis leads the League (228), while the Spanish specialist shares second place with the Lithuanian coach in League history (144).
If Zenit wins all of its remaining games of the season, the team will have its best regular season ever in the VTB League.
