Russia brings forward return date to 19th June and with spectators

The match between Krylia Sovetov and Akhmat Grozny in Samara will be the first game for three months in Russia. They are the bottom two teams in the league so it is a relegation six pointer. 

As the Cosmos stadium built for the 2018 World Cup has a capacity of 45,000 spectators, 4,500 will be able to watch the match live. 

The Russian Football Union (RFU) agreed with the governemnt that the stadia could be filled to 10% capacity for the first few matchdays, a percentage which could be increased soon depending on the coronavirus pandemic. 

That same day, there is a match between Sochi and Rostov which is fifth from bottom versus fourth placed Rostov.

Local authorities have decided to take extra precautions there and the encounter will be held behind closed doors. 

The game of the matchday will be CSKA Moscow against Zenit. It is thrid versus first and Zenit are nine points clear of second placed Lokomotiv Moscow with eight games left. 

Russia will get going again on 19th June with spectators in the stands, unlike in Germany, Spain, England and Italy. 

Last week, Lokomotiv Moscow announced that four footballers from the first team tested positive for coronavirus. Another of their stats, Jefferson Farfan, who contracted COVID-19 three weeks again, will return soon for training. 

Several players who play at Russian clubs have also got the virus, among them the Ural striker Pavel Pogrebniak who used to play for Zenit and Stuttgart. 

The Russian league was one of the last in Europe to suspend football last March after the virus hit Russia later than Western Europe. 

Russia has had the third highest amount of coronavirus cases only behind USA and Brazil. They have had 423,741 cases and 5,037 deaths.