On the date of August 6, 2017, there is a black mark on the Spartak calendar. On that day, the Red-Whites once again came to visit Zenit, but under new circumstances. Muscovites had to play for the first time at the brand new Gazprom Arena and not lose face in front of full stands.

In addition, the meeting was presented as a battle between two top coaches, although Massimo Carrera then had only two trophies, and Roberto Mancini had 13. However, in the end, it was not tactics that played a key role in the August match, but emotions.

“Spartak” was very nervous on the road. And he suffered one of the biggest defeats from Zenit in history.

They laugh at Kokorin, and once he was the star of Zenit

Now it’s hard to believe, but Mancini’s main force in the Zenit attack was Alexander Kokorin. Three years later, Roberto became one of those who advised Fiorentina to buy the Russian from Spartak. Who knew that Sasha is no longer the same! And under the Italian, the striker was a real star: it was Kokorin who opened the scoring in that match with the Red-Whites, beautifully opening between two central defenders and circling Artem Rebrov.

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The game was really equal at first. Before Alexander’s goal, Spartak had decent chances, after the goal they created even more. However, at the end of the first half, their rivals once again scored: this time Alexander Erokhin scored from the pass of Daler Kuzyaev. Both, by the way, are still playing for the Petersburgers and will most likely take to the field on July 9 in the Super Cup match.

Even the experienced Rebrov was nervous

In the middle of the second half, it was already possible for Spartak to pack their bags – the current champion at that time capitulated. In the 57th minute, the captain of Zenit Domenico Krishito brought the score to devastating, and in the 63rd minute Kuzyaev added a goal to the assist – 4:0. Fans from Moscow could not believe their eyes: how did the champion Carrera make such a failure at all?!

Eternally motivated Quincy Promes managed to slightly improve the situation in the 72nd minute, converting a penalty. But five minutes had not passed before the hosts restored the advantage, and Artem Rebrov helped them in this. An experienced goalkeeper could not beat off the ball going on target and flew into the goal with it – 5:1.

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The losers’ emotions were running high, and Spartak striker Luis Adriano could not control them. The Brazilian staged a skirmish, which Igor Smolnikov got involved with pleasure – both players received direct red cards. After the match, Carrera shook Mancini’s hand with a slight smile and ran into the under-tribune room at the speed of an Italian sports car.

This is how the Red-Whites’ first trip to the Gazprom Arena ended ingloriously: by that time, the club had only lost twice in history to its principal rival with a larger goal difference (0:5 in 2012 and 1949). In terms of the number of goals conceded, the Muscovites repeated their anti-record.

An outlet for the Spartak fans was the return match, when the Red-Whites beat Zenit at home with a score of 3:1, and Adriano, sent off in the first round, scored an incredibly beautiful goal after a chic combination. And at the end of the season, the Petersburgers were lower than the Muscovites in the table – fifth place against third.

Since then, however, Spartak has had an unclosed gestalt. Muscovites have never defeated Zenit at the new stadium: five defeats, one draw. The Red-Whites will try to correct this statistic on July 9 in another battle, this time for the Russian Super Cup.

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