Rodina head coach Juan Diaz compared the Russian Premier League to Spain's top division after his team beat Zenit 2-1, according to Sport24.
Diaz said there were many moments when Zenit pressed his team hard, and that he had seen such games many times in Spain, at the Bernabeu and the Camp Nou, when modest teams like Rodina have to give everything to win and the goalkeeper has to produce a miracle.
First RPL win for Rodina
Rodina's 2-1 victory over Zenit was the club's first ever win in a Russian Premier League match. Zenit, for their part, lost at home in the Russian championship for the first time since 2024.
Standings and upcoming fixtures
After the first three rounds of the season, Rodina have three points and climbed to 11th place in the table. Diaz's side will next face Akron on August 15 in Khimki, with kickoff at 14:00 Moscow time.
Zenit remain on six points after three games. In round four, they will host Dynamo Moscow at home on August 16, with the match starting at 14:30 Moscow time.
