CSKA inspired by final wish

UEFA place at stake 
It is no slight on Zenit's ambition to say that CSKA need the trophy more. Zenit booked one of two UEFA Cup berths open to Vysshaya Liga sides by finishing third in the 2001 championship. The army men will claim the other with a win in Moscow. Should they lose, Zenit would effectively take both spots, allowing FC Torpedo Moscow, fourth last term, entry to Europe's second most prestigious competition.

History lesson 
History provides further incentive to CSKA. Back in 1944, their loss to Zenit in the old USSR Cup final gave the Petrovsky club its first piece of silverware. Zenit added to that, of course, when they defeated Dinamo Moscow in the 1998 Russian Cup final. CSKA, five-time USSR Cup winners, are still waiting to replicate their Soviet successes in the new, Russian era.

The form guide 
There is little to separate the two on current form. CSKA are a point behind league leaders FC Lokomotiv Moscow after a 3-2 victory at Torpedo on Wednesday. At the same time, Zenit were beating FC Torpedo-Zil Moscow to go fourth - albeit seven points adrift of CSKA.

Will to win 
Not that CSKA are underestimating their opponents. Coach Valery Gazzaev rested four key players in midweek - forward Denis Popov, Latvian international Juris Laizans, Denis Evsikov and Andrey Solomatin. They just want to make sure they beat them.

'Our first trophy' 
CSKA president Evgeny Giner said: "Victory will not only bring us our first trophy in Russian history, but also a route into the UEFA Cup. I promise that my team will do everything possible to get it."