Zenit hosts Club Brugge KV in round 1 of the Champions League group stage. The match will be played on Tuesday, October 20th at Gazprom Arena (Saint Petersburg)
Having won the second consecutive champion’s title in the last season, Zenit showed a quite good start in the new championship. After eleven rounds, the team shares the first place in the standings with Spartak. Petersburgers managed to quickly find a replacement for Ivanovic. Thanks to Lovren, Zenit's defense did not diminish in quality but only became stronger, as evidenced by only seven goals conceded in this season. Moreover, Zenit managed to buy Wendel from Sporting, and he should strengthen the team's game in the midfield. In general, Semak's lineup is quite balanced, so it can fight for the highest places. In the last game, Zenit beat Sochi (3:1).
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Having become the champion in the last suspended season, Brugge continues to play confidently in the new championship. After nine rounds, the Blue-Blacks are in first place in the standings, having suffered only two defeats. The squad of the team has not changed much after last season. This allows Brugge to maintain stability. Its players score a lot in the local league, but they prefer to play attack first since the defense cannot boast of high reliability. In the last league game, Club Brugge gained a 1:1 away draw against Standard.
Both teams demonstrate good football and are deservedly in the first lines in their championships. The advantage of the home field makes Zenit the favorite of this confrontation, although the Belgians will surely not be whipping boys because they have a balanced squad with extensive experience in European competitions. Still, I think the pragmatic football of the St. Petersburg team should allow it to beat the opponent.
Prediction for the match: Zenit to win
