After a long winter break, Russian football returns to the pitch. And it returns with the central clash of the 19th matchday. Although before the start of the current season it seemed that the Premier League debutant Baltika would never play in matches with such status. However the first half of the season showcased Baltika's distinct identity and remarkable team strength under Andrey Talalaev. After eighteen rounds, the Kaliningrad team trails the leader Krasnodar by five points and is four points behind the upcoming opponent. Zenit, in the current season, is playing in an unusual role as the country's vice-champion. At the same time, the team aims to bring the championship title back to Saint Petersburg. By habit, the owners of the blue-and-white club do not impose any meaningful financial constraints in pursuit of these goals. The first-leg match between the opponents in Kaliningrad finished 0-0, a typical Baltika draw. The hosts were dangerous and stifled any attempts by Zenit to score with their diligent and disciplined play. Given that no team has managed to win on Baltika's home ground this season, the Petersburg side is unlikely to regret the outcome much. Bookmakers identified the home team as favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 1.52 on their victory. Zenit conducted its training camps in the UAE, where it participated in the Winter Cup of the RPL. During the tournament, Sergei Semak's charges beat only Dynamo Moscow. Also in the offseason the Russian vice-champion carried out an extensive transfer campaign. First, Zenit strengthened every line of the field except the goalkeeping line, signing Igor Diveev, John John, and taking John Durana on loan. Secondly, they shed the ballast in the form of Jerson, Mateo Cassierra, and Strahinja Erakovic. The results of these transfer decisions will become clear in the second part of the championship, as many in the media are already discussing Durana's questionable character and approach to the matter. In turn, Baltika aimed to solve the key task – preserving the team's core. After all, why break what works? In the end, the club lost only Vladislav Saus, who moved to Spartak. Otherwise, we will see in Saint Petersburg exactly that stubborn and powerful Baltika that achieved high results in the autumn. The visitors will be close to earning points.