The paired matches with Juventus became decisive for Zenit in many ways.
It was in them that it was necessary to decide whether the Petersburgers would be able to compete for the Champions League playoffs.
The blues, whites and blues needed to score as many points as possible in this confrontation in order to keep up with both Turin and Chelsea, which had two meetings in a row with the Malmö group outsider and could count on six points.
At the same time, the latest results did not bode well for the national team.
If Massimiliano Allegri's wards started the season not in the best way, then they gained speed and won four victories in a row in Serie A, as well as two in the main European Cup.
Before the game, Sergei Semak even called his opponent "a machine for achieving results."
At the same time, he promised: his players will do everything to score three points.
Zenit approached the key match with practically no losses. Only the long-injured Magomed Ozdoev could not help the team. Therefore, the composition of the hosts turned out to be predictable. The coaching staff did not abandon the scheme with three central defenders. Also, from the first minutes, defensive player Vilmar Barrios entered the field, having missed the last RPL game with Arsenal. The only intrigue concerned the places in the attack, because Serdar Azmun returned to the application. However, the Iranian remained in reserve, and Artyom Dziuba, who scores in almost every match, was at the forefront alone in the fall.
Zenit players listened to Semak's words and tried to start the game as actively as possible.
They boldly went forward, and when they lost, they immediately turned on high pressure, trying to get the ball back and not allow the opponent to organize a quick attack.
“Juventus” did not confuse the owners' courage.
Turintsy acted in an energy-saving mode and calmly waited for the opponent to run out of strength.
This period was remembered for Claudinho's powerful kick from outside the penalty area, with which Wojciech Szczęsny coped with some difficulty.
Gradually, however, the guests seized the initiative and forced the Petersburgers to sit on the defensive.
However, and they practically did not create chances at the front gate.
The Allegri team did not demonstrate prohibitive speeds, and the domestic team calmly blocked all approaches.
Penetration into the penalty area through the center was completely unrealistic, and therefore the guests tried to take the ball to the flanks and from there serve.
At these moments, I became anxious for Stanislav Kritsyuk, who did not always look confident at the exit.
Zenit, on the other hand, relied on interception of the ball and quick counterattacks.
Semak's wards really managed to make selections in their own half.
Barrios was especially successful in this, but the offensive most often ended in nothing.
This was largely due to the fact that Dzyuba was not very good at clinging to the ball.
Artyom was successfully opposed by the powerful Matthijs de Ligt.
According to such a game, the appearance of Azmun, who could escape to free zones, seemed much more logical.
But Juventus practically did not bother Kriutsk and even never hit the target in the first half.
Only shortly before the break, Federico Chiesa was noted with a couple of inaccurate shots.
Petersburgers responded with a headbutt in the hands of Schensny performed by Dmitry Chistyakov after serving a corner.
Only at the beginning of the second half, the favorite managed to create the first really dangerous moment.
Until then, completely invisible Alvaro Morata performed a cutting transfer between Chistyakov and Lovren and brought Weston McKeny face to face with Kritsyuk.
But the goalkeeper played perfectly in this situation: he closed the distance in a timely manner and took the blow.
Zenit immediately responded with a couple of promising counter-attacks.
During one of them, Claudinho, having won the ball from Mattia De Schiglio near someone else's penalty area, almost twisted the shell into the far corner.
Realizing that with the existing set of players, the opponent's saturated defense could not be passed, Allegri made a triple substitution in the 58th minute.
In particular, Juan Cuadrado came to the right flank of the attack, and the powerful Dejan Kulushevski joined Morata.
Such castling made it possible for the Turin players to simplify the game and perform more overhead serves from the flanks.
Semak reacted instantly and threw Alexei Sutormin and Azmun into battle instead of Karavaev and Dziuba, who were hanging on the card and tired.
Later Daler Kuzyaev joined them.
The appearance of the latter on the field was largely forced.
Malcolm, after another solo pass, remained lying on the lawn, holding his shin, and the coaching staff decided not to risk his health.
Nevertheless, "Zenith" not only continued to absolutely calmly and confidently restrain the attacks of the venerable opponent, but on occasion tried to organize their own counter-attacks.
Allegri's last hope was another textured forward, Moise Keene, as well as Aaron Ramsey.
But closer to the final whistle, Petersburgers even took the ball under their control.
It seemed that at least a draw was guaranteed for them.
However, the ending turned out to be discouraging for the team.
In fact, she made a single mistake and was immediately punished for her.
Four minutes before the end of regular time, the fresh Sutormin allowed De Schigllo to serve from the left flank, and no one prevented Kulushevsky from touching the back of his head to correct the ball into the net with a rebound from the bar.
Big questions in this episode arose for Lovren, who remained in the role of the observer.
After that, Semak went all-in and released Danil Krugovoy and Alexander Erokhin, switching to a formation with two central defenders, but his players did not have enough strength for the final assault.
So Zenit again showed itself with dignity against the background of the European grandee, but, as in the match with Chelsea, they conceded an offensive goal and were left without points.