Home advantage and team news for Khimki are the 2 triggers for a bet on Rotor here.

Russian Premier League is one of the few leagues in Europe, where the domestic pitch factor is still able to actually matter. Rotor is allowed to have 50% of the stadium on Saturday and despite anticipated chilly conditions (around 0 celcius) must see at least 10 000 fans to show up.

Rotor’s in massive form, if we forget that there was a winter break splitting their recent 3-1 win over collapsing Tambov and the wins against Arsenal Tula and Ufa (both on home soil). 3 W in succession have moved Rotor off the bottom of the table. In the first part of the season their relegation looked as a done deal, but the team’s reacted well to pick themselves up.

Winter break went ok for Rotor - they had not lost any regulars and added a few more Georgians to the roaster. Overall, they’ve not gained or lost quality wise.

Not a single player unavailable for Rotor before this Saturday encounter.

Things are significantly less positive for Khimki. They will have serious issues at the offensive end having lost important and in-form winger Kukharchuk to suspension + lone striker Konate for the same reason. Both were on fire in Khimki’s 2-1 win against Ufa in the opening round of 2021. 1st choice replacement for Konate - Dyadun - is out until end of season with knee injury.

As a result Khimki are expected to go with 3rd choice striker Aliev, winter signing from Russia 2nd division.

In centre one of 2 first choice midfielders is unavailable - Troshechkin is also suspended.

If we recall that Khimki started the year with a shock 0-4 blow out against Russia 2nd division outfit Krylya Sovetov - then their perspectives in Volgograd really don’t look so bright.

主场优势和球队新闻是选择希姆基的原因。

俄罗斯超级联赛是欧洲为数不多的几个本土球场因素仍能真正发挥作用的联赛之一。50%的球迷被允许进入体育场观赛，尽管预计会有寒冷的天气(大约0摄氏度)，但至少要有1万名球迷到场。

伏加格勒最近3-1战胜垮掉的坦波夫，以及战胜图拉兵工厂和乌法(都是在主场)。三连胜帮他们提升排名。在本赛季的前半段，他们保级压力很大，但球队及时做出反应，使自己振作起来。

冬歇期对伏加格勒来说还不错——他们没有失去任何主力，还增加了几名新援。总的来说，他们整体实力并未下降。

目前球队阵容完整。

对希姆基来说，情况就不那么乐观了。他们将在进攻端面临严重的问题，因为同样的原因，他们失去了重要的、状态良好的边锋库哈尔楚克和单前锋科纳特。在2021年首轮希姆基2-1战胜乌法的比赛中，这两支球队都表现出色。科纳特的首选替代者-戴亚顿-由于膝伤将缺席到赛季末。

因此，希姆基很可能会选择第三选择前锋阿利耶夫首发，他是冬季从俄罗斯乙级签来的。

在中场，两名主力中场中的一名不能上场——特罗舍金被停赛。

希姆基曾客场4-0大胜俄甲球队萨马拉苏维埃之翼，但他们在伏尔加格勒的前景就不那么光明了。