Zenit have history on their side as they take on Belgian opponents Gent after winning their opening Champions League group match.
Having overcome Valencia in their opening Group H game, Zenit will be expecting to take another step towards the Champions League knockout stages at home to Gent. Andre Villas-Boas, who is serving a six-match touchline ban in the Russian Premier League for confronting an official, oversaw a 3-2 win in Spain courtesy of Hulk’s double and Axel Witsel’s late goal.
And history favours the Russians, who have won all five previous home matches against Belgian opposition with an aggregate score of 12-1. Gent showed they were no pushovers in their opening-game draw against Lyon, though, securing a hard-earned point despite finishing the match with nine men – Matz Sels’ late penalty save from Alexandre Lacazette proving crucial.
Brecht Dejaegere and Thomas Foket saw red in that game and will be absent for the trip to a Zenit side whose domestic campaign has faltered of late.
A four-match winless run has left them playing catch-up, with Villas-Boas’ revelation that he will leave the club at the end of the season potentially impacting on their form. It is not the only controversy to have surfaced at the club this month, with star man Hulk claiming to have suffered racist abuse during Saturday’s 2-2 Russian Premier League draw with Spartak Moscow.
