Home » Teams » Liverpool » Rubin Kazan v Liverpool: Preview, Team News and Playing XI

Rubin Kazan v Liverpool: Preview, Team News and Playing XI

Things, after a reinvigorating win at Stamford Bridge, are looking bright for Liverpool once again. It was a captivating and an impressive 3-1 triumph, as Liverpool came back from a goal down to emerge triumphant in a game that jeopardized Jose Mourinho’s position more than it was. And after a result that did more than enough to cheer up the Kopites, Liverpool will now go on a hunt for their first win of the Europa League campaign when they’ll visit the Kazan Stadium on Thursday, 2500 miles away from Merseyside.

Rubin Kazan
Rubin Kazan

Rubin Kazan have displayed stubbornness of defending deep, especially during the reverse fixture at Anfield. And Valeri Chaly’s side would have the home crowd behind them this time, unlike the last time around when they succeeded in holding the Reds to a 1-1 draw. The Russians sit at the bottom of the group, with just two points, despite that. And only two points separate them and table-topping Sion, as they look to close the gap on them. In the Russian Premier League, Rubin have recorded two wins and two losses in their previous 4 outings, but they’ll head into the Liverpool game at the back of a 2-1 win over Anzhi.

Team News

For Liverpool, Christian Benteke would be fit to feature after he played a cameo role after coming on against Chelsea. The likes of Danny Ings, Joe Gomez and Jose Enrique remains injured.

Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke

Rubin will be without Kuzmin, who will serve a one-match suspension after he was sent off during the reverse fixture at Anfield.

Likely line-ups

Rubin Kazan: Ryzhikov; Cotugno, Kverkvelia, Kambolov, Nabiullin; Carlos Eduardo, Ozdoev, Gokdeniz Karadeniz, Georgiev; Devic, Kanunnikov

Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Allen, Can, Milner; Firmino, Coutinho; Benteke

Previous Meetings

As already told, the previous game ended at level begging as ten men Rubin had held Liverpool to a 1-1 stalemate. Rubin showed determination while Liverpool lacked a final, incisive pass.

Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp

The Russian side has done quite well against English sides in the past, winning thrice against them on Russian grounds, drawing twice and losing just as many. The three English sides who have succumbed to defeats at Kazan Stadium are giants Chelsea and Spurs, and the then Premier League side Wigan Athletic.

As far as Liverpool are concerned, they’ve emerged triumphant in 6 games out of 12 against Russian opposition.

Prediction

A draw here would complicate the group further, denying Klopp’s men of a first Europa League win. Klopp would send a compact side out, with only a limited amount of youngsters considering the fact that the former BVB adores fielding youngsters in key games, much like during their Cup game against Bournemouth.

Visiting any Russian stadium is always a tough ask, no matter how good you are. Even the best of sides can cripple under extreme temperatures, which often accompany a hostile crowd. These sides will usually look to break at the counter, with pace and defend deep, denying them space in between their centre-halves

And it’d be a sturdy defense to break down for the Reds. But the Klopp era is up and running now and the players will be high on confidence and momentum, but the resolute Rubin defense will be tough to break. But I’ll go with a 2-0 win for the Reds.