Zenit will host CSKA in WINLINE Game of the Week on Sunday.
Place: Russia, Saint Petersburg, KCK Arena
Time: October 12, 2025, 18:00 (Moscow time)
Broadcasts: Match TV, VK Video, VTB League website
Last season
The most important rivalry of recent years will continue in St. Petersburg. Zenit is the best team in the League against CSKA, won the previous regular season 3-1. This did not help the St. Petersburg team in the Playoffs. The rivals met in Finals, where CSKA won 4-2. The rivalry history score after this series reached 37-23, CSKA leads.
Offseason
Zenit rebuilt its roster, was forced to change its head coach and radically changed international players, inviting Andre Robertson, Levi Randolph and Nenad Dimitrijevic.
CSKA, on the other hand, kept the core of the team. Tonye Jekiri remained with the club, turning down offers from the Euroleague and EuroCup teams. Livio Jean-Charles also extended his contract, happy to have the opportunity to “do one more dance in CSKA jersey.” Forward Amath M’Baye left Moscow to return to his homeland and Paris.
The main change took place in backcourt. Aleksa Avramovic returned to the Euroleague and was replaced by Antonius Cleveland. The guard announced his intention to win Defensive Player of the Year award back to back and add another title.
Preparation
CSKA and Zenit were able to compare the results of their summer work in the VTB League SuperCup in Belgrade. Another final awaited the rivals, where the Moscow team demonstrated all the advantages. The final score was 96-79 due to brilliant performance by Melo Trimble (26 points and 8 assists), who won the MVP award. CSKA won its third SuperCup and surpassed Zenit.
Throughout the season
The regular season 2025/26 did not start too well for both top clubs. Confident wins in the first round (CSKA over Samara, Zenit over Avtodor) did not foreshadow any problems, but the second games ended with losses.
First, Zenit lost to UNICS at home (77:104). The hosts made 17 turnovers, let the opponent get away with fast breaks, and gave up in the fourth quarter according to Aleksander Sekulic. The game revealed the expected difficulties with the team’s chemistry. The players admitted that they didn’t do anything they agreed on.
Attitude
Both teams are finishing three-game series. Zenit is playing at home, while CSKA is playing on the road. The hosts don’t want to end the performance aat home with loss. After that, the guests will face fans for the first time this season at home, which the reigning champion would also prefer not to do after 2 losses in a row.
