Lokomotiv Moscow — CSKA Moscow : Match Preview and Prediction for October 18,2025

Lokomotiv Moscow’s Form and Unbeaten Run

Lokomotiv Moscow currently stands as the sole undefeated team in the Russian championship, an impressive feat 11 rounds into the season. However, this unbeaten streak doesn’t place Galaktionov’s squad at the top of the table. Their consistent performance includes a significant number of draws (5), with victories (6) slightly outnumbering them over this period.

Recent Performance and Team News

Significantly, before the international break, the ‘Red-Greens’ emerged victorious from a thrilling derby against Dinamo, defeating Karpin’s team 5-3. Despite trailing 1-2 during the match and experiencing a lapse in the latter half of the first period, they ultimately secured all three points. Now, they face another challenging home derby against CSKA Moscow. On a positive note, Lokomotiv boasts an empty infirmary, with even Sergey Pinyaev making a full recovery from a multi-month injury. He featured in a closed-door friendly against Bolivia for Lokomotiv (3-0), even getting on the scoresheet.

CSKA Moscow’s Current Standings and Recent Victories

Here we have the league leaders, a position they undoubtedly deserve. Before the international break, the ‘Red-Blues’ secured a derby victory against Spartak, establishing a quick 3-goal lead. The Army Men then defended their advantage, narrowly holding on, but ultimately Celestini’s first All-Russian derby concluded with a 3-2 win.

Upcoming Challenge and Team Absences

Following this, another derby awaits, although CSKA has already faced Lokomotiv twice in the Russian Cup group stage. This match in Cherkizovo against Batrakov’s side promises to be challenging, especially as Karpin used five CSKA players in the starting lineup against Bolivia, giving them significant minutes, while Barinov and Silyanov also played for Lokomotiv. Therefore, neither the ‘Red-Greens’ nor the ‘Red-Blues’ will be at their peak freshness. For the visitors, Moises is unavailable due to an accumulation of yellow cards, and De Luciano is also out. Akinfeev and Musaev are questionable. Despite more significant absences for CSKA, the task falls to Celestini to navigate this difficult fixture.