What: Champions League Playoff Round
Who: Spartak Moscow vs Fenerbahce (first leg)
When: Tuesday 21st August, 2012, 17:00 UK Time
Where: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia
Spartak Moscow To Benefit From Emery Nous?
Memories of defeat in a qualifier for the Europa League a year ago, when they crashed out to Legia Warsaw, will be fresh for Spartak Moscow. The once dominant Russian side have also lost their last two Champions League playoffs, to Dynamo Kyiv and Celtic, and will hope to make it third time lucky here. Spartak Moscow have never faced Fenerbahce and the club’s only previous encounter with a Turkish side was a victory in the Champions League against Galatasaray almost 20 years ago.
The Krasno-Belye have made an encouraging start to what is the first Russian Premier League season to run from autumn to spring, in line with the rest of Europe’s major leagues. They will come into this game off the back of four victories in five matches, although the one game they failed to win was a 5-0 thrashing by Zenit St. Petersburg. But Luciano Spalletti’s men are back-to-back Russian champions and a step above the rest of the league.
Spartak Moscow are bolstered by an impressive summer in the transfer market. The capital club pulled off one of the best signings of any European team by bringing over Brazilian midfielder Romulo from Vasco da Gama, although they had to wait for the Olympics to conclude to bring him into the team; he scored in the weekend win over Rubin Kazan. Swedish schemer Kim Kallstrom arrived from Lyon, providing more quality in the middle of the pitch, whilst defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde was also brought in by new coach Unai Emery, who took over in the close season.
Emery is experienced at this level, having navigated his Valencia team into the group stages consistently during his term with Los Che, and that nous could prove very handy against a Fenerbahce team still coming off the back of a traumatic year.
Fenerbahce Seek Redemption
Having been kicked out of the Champions League on the eve of last season’s group stage draw for their involvement in a Turkish match-fixing scandal, an appearance in this season’s competition would feel long overdue for the Istanbul giants. The Yellow Canaries have spent much of the last year beleaguered and felt hard done by in treatment from the Turkish and European authorities, although they may consider themselves fortunate not to have received so much as a points fine after club executives were given suspensions from the game.
On the pitch, Fenerbahce lost some key names during the scandal, including Emmanuel Emenike to Spartak Moscow, Andre Santos, Diego Lugano and Daniel Guiza, but have recruited handily too. Moussa Sow was the surprise move of the last transfer window in January, with the Ligue 1 top scorer from 2010/11 hitting the ground running straight away in Istanbul. The club have made useful signings this summer, in Milos Krasic and Dirk Kuyt. Together with Sow and Slovak international Miroslav Stoch, Fenerbahce have a very good forward line which could pick Spartak Moscow off on the break if the Russian giants are not careful.
Like Spartak Moscow, Fenerbahce have painful memories of their most recent European excursions. In 2010/11, they lost to Young Boys of Switzerland in the Champions League qualifiers, before failing to make the Europa League after defeat in a playoff against PAOK Salonika. Something will have to give in this tie for two teams with little luck in recent times when it comes to European qualifiers.
Recent form
Spartak Moscow:
Spartak Moscow 2–1 Rubin Kazan (18/08; Russian Premier League)
Zenit St. Petersburg 5-0 Spartak Moscow (11/08; Russian Premier League)
Dynamo Moscow 0-4 Spartak Moscow (05/08; Russian Premier League)
Fenerbahce:
Elazigspor 1–1 Fenerbahce (18/08; Turkish Super Lig)
Galatasaray 3-2 Fenerbahce (11/08; Turkish Super Cup)
Vaslui 1-4 Fenerbahce (08/08; Champions League)
Key absences
Spartak Moscow: Kim Kallstrom
Fenerbahce: Volkan Demirel (doubt)
Players to watch
Spartak Moscow – Emmanuel Emenike: The Nigerian is likely to be particularly motivated after his acrimonious departure from the Turkish club a year ago. Emenike did not even play for Fenerbahce during two years in Istanbul after being caught in a corruption scandal over his transfer from Karabukspor and was only cleared after moving to Russia. The 25-year-old has had an eventful year, being fined by the Russian authorities for responding to fans who racially abused him – the supporters were not even punished – but when on the field of play the Nigerian forward has been lethal. Up against international team-mate Joseph Yobo, if the prolific forward has his scoring boots on he can give his side a comfortable lead to take into the second leg.
Fenerbahce – Dirk Kuyt. There is no one more experienced in the European game in the Fenerbahce ranks than the ex-Liverpool forward and Kuyt will play an important tactical role for his new club. He struggled in the first leg of his side’s clash with Vaslui in the last round, but made up for it with two goals in the return to send Fenerbahce to this stage. His constant running allied with a knack for scoring important goals could be vital to a team who may look to use the wings to try and catch Spartak Moscow on the break, and the Dutchman will be looking to ensure Sow has plenty of company in the attacking third.
Match Prediction
It should perhaps be expected that Spartak Moscow will look to take control of the game. Unai Emery’s teams tend to play possession football, but the Spaniard is also a methodical tactician, who will be wary of the danger of conceding a goal in the home leg. Therefore, the Russians should push high and dominate possession, but not necessarily throw everything at the Turkish side in this first leg.
Emery will be wary of the skill and energy of both Kuyt and Krasic, who could have a key role to play in this tie as the link between Fenerbahce’s midfield and lone frontman Sow. Having sold playmaker Emre Belozoglu this summer, Fenerbahce coach Aykut Kocaman has admitted his team could struggle to keep possession against teams who press high up the pitch, words which presumably will be music to the ears of Emery.
But defensive midfielder Mehmet Topal, who like Emery left Valencia this summer, will be keen to make life difficult for his old boss. There may be a cagy nature to a game between two of the biggest teams in Eastern Europe, both desperate to get back into the Champions League and equally wary of the dangers each other will pose. But Spartak Moscow’s stronger midfield and Emery’s superior tactical knowledge at this level may give the Russians a vital competitive edge. Spartak Moscow 1-0 Fenerbahce.
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