Baltika — CSKA Moscow : Match Preview and Prediction for August 27,2025

Baltika’s Early Season Revelation

Baltika has been the revelation of the early season in Russian football, a fact easily explained by the quality work of head coach Andrei Talalaev – a man with a complex personality but capable of instilling high-quality play and possessing a Nordic character.

Recent Form and Cup Ambitions

This past weekend, ahead of the cup match, Baltika defeated Sochi 2-0, scoring one goal in each half against the league’s outsider. Hil once again stood out, showing excellent form at the forefront of the attack early in the season. After dropping points at home against Lokomotiv (1-1) in the dying minutes, it was crucial for Baltika to quickly recover, and they succeeded. Rotation might be expected from the hosts against CSKA; nevertheless, after two initial defeats in the cup (1-2 against Akron and 0-2 against Lokomotiv in Cherkizovo), this game could be pivotal for Baltika’s cup campaign. Midfielder Mendel will definitely miss the match against the Army Men due to an injury, despite a decent start to the season.

CSKA’s Aggressive Start and New Philosophy

The Army Men are delighting fans with their hyper-aggressive style of play, which has earned them second place in the league table at the start of the season. After Nikolic’s dull and pragmatic football, Celestini’s arrival and his attack-minded approach, led by young talents, feel like a breath of fresh air for the Red-Blues’ tactical ideas.

Weekend Victory and Scoring Prowess

Last weekend at home, the Swiss coach’s team eventually overcame Akron with a 3-1 victory, finally scoring even in the second half, an area where the Army Men have faced challenges.

New Signings and Defensive Considerations

This week also saw the announcement of two new defensive signings from South America: Argentinian Di Luciano and Brazilian Joao Victor from Vasco da Gama. I’m confident that Don Fabio might well utilize them in rotation for their debut in this very match, especially considering the even younger talents of Ruiz and Verde. While this might not fully contribute to defensive stability, particularly alongside young Torop (who plays in the cup instead of Akinfeev), it’s an ideal situation to adapt them to Celestini’s systems. Allerando and Villagra are confirmed absentees for the visitors against Baltika, while Di Luciano remains a doubt.