Spartak Moscow — Rostov : Match Preview and Prediction for October 18,2025

Spartak Moscow: Managerial Uncertainty

Spartak continues its campaign without Dejan Stankovic at the helm, and rumors of the Serb’s departure from the Red-Whites are intensifying. This speculation is fueled by the recent vacancy in the Serbian national team, following the exit of the self-proclaimed ‘coach’ Stojkovic, who managed the squad for four years. Media reports now widely name Dejan Stankovic as the leading candidate for the vacant national team position.

Club Developments and Player Absences

Further reports include an interview where Stankovic expressed to Serbian media that he would consider it an honor to lead the national side, disclaiming any personal responsibility for Spartak’s recent setbacks. Even the derby against CSKA (a 2-3 loss) before the international break was seemingly not viewed as a failure by him. Amidst this backdrop, the club’s management has strengthened its scouting department, bringing in Andrey Movsesyan from CSKA, who is highly regarded as one of Russia’s top recruiters for young talent. The upcoming match against Rostov will provide crucial insights into the direction the Moscow side is heading. For the Rostov fixture, Litvinov’s participation remains uncertain due to an injury that caused him to miss recent international matches.

Rostov’s Recent Form and Progress

Following a 1-0 victory in Orenburg, Rostov has extended its unbeaten league run to five consecutive matches. This represents significant progress for Alba’s team, which endured a challenging start to the season. Despite initial struggles for points, their pressing tactics and highly active play consistently demonstrated potential for growth and a quality of performance that often didn’t align with their results. However, the Spanish coach has effectively turned things around in recent times.

Squad Dynamics and Head-to-Head Advantage

Among the less pleasant news from the Rostov camp is the departure of Arutyunyants from the club presidency. Crucially, this development must not impact the players themselves, who are currently in excellent form. This season, they have already defeated Spartak in Moscow, and within the calendar year, they have achieved this feat twice at the Lukoil Arena. The visitors boast a full squad of fit players, all prepared to challenge the league’s 6th-placed team (Rostov themselves currently sit 10th).