Football Season Guide

The Bulls failed to secure Champions League presence last term and this is their primary goal this time around. If this happens it will be Krasnodar’s first appearance in the most prestigious European competition. After steadying the ship in spring with some decent results the 34-year-old Murad Musaev, he has been Krasnodar’s assistant coach for 4 years, was given the managerial job permanently this summer. Musaev parted ways with the team’s captain and best defender Granqvist in the summer as he went back to Sweden before retirement, but the signing of Spajic brings in a like-for-like replacement. The two other important arrivals so far are that of the aggressive right winger Stotskiy from Ufa and the very crafty Peruvian playmaker Cuevas. Krasnodar might still be short on defensive options, just three centre-backs are currently in the first team, but further up the pitch they have an abundance of talent and as usual the Bulls guarantee goals and exciting attacking combinations in pretty much every game. With all of Kabore, Mamaev, Pereyra, Claesson, Gazinskiy and now Cuevas operating in midfield Krasnodar have arguably the strongest players on paper in that zone from all sides in the top flight. Added to that the fact that the lethal centre forward Smolov remains in the team for now, things look really optimistic in attack. Top goalscorer in 2 of the last 3 seasons and finishing just a goal behind Promes last term Smolov is the most effective striker in Russia, with a goal every 78 minutes he spends on the pitch. His health is questionable though as he had two long spells out in 2017/18, which seriously weakened Krasnodar. Musaev used 4-2-3-1 as a formation last spring and he most likely will stick to it. Ari returns after a season-long loan at champions Lokomotiv and it is yet unclear if the 32-year-old centre forward will stay at the club. If he decides to do so Krasnodar might be playing with two up front against weaker teams. Knocking on a top two finish for several years now and with most of the players in their prime this season, 18 of the 24 current first-team members are between 25 and 31 years-of -age this year, Krasnodar might be the team to watch in 2018/19!!!