Leonid Slutsky’s CSKA Moscow side won their fifth successive league game, keeping up their recent rich vein of form by thumping fourth place Kuban Krasnador 6-0 to move to within two points of Andre Villas-Boas’ Zenit.
Ahmed Musa and Seydou Doumbia helped themselves to two goals each to set up this latest convincing victory.
Last time out in the UEFA Champions League, CSKA could count themselves a fraction unfortunate to not claim anything from their encounter with Bayern Munich.
In an empty stadium due to a UEFA punishment, Pep Guardiola’s side came away with a narrow 1-0 win to keep them in charge of their own destiny.
Like CSKA, the German giants made light work of their opposition at the weekend too, sweeping aside Werder Bremen by the same scoreline, 6-0.
It was routine stuff for the defending champions and the match will probably be best remembered for the fact that Bremen became the first side not to have a single shot on goal in 6,495 Bundesliga games since records were kept in 1993-94.
“It is usually a bit difficult coming back from an international break but we played really well,” Bayern’s coach, Pep Guardiola, said. “We now have three more points and can focus on our Champions League game.”
Mario Gotze and Phillip Lahm scored twice, while Xabi Alonso clipped in an audaciously cheeky free-kick for his first Bayern goal and Thomas Muller scored a penalty.
Bayern lead the Bundesliga by four points from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Finally, City’s last opponents AS Roma got back to winning ways in Serie A with a comfortable 3-0 win over Chievo.
The only blemish on their perfect record came just before the international break when they lost 3-2 to Juventus in controversial circumstances as the Giallorossi were victims of a couple of questionable refereeing decisions.
However, three first-half goals from Matteo Destro, Adam Llajlic and Francesco Totti closed the gap on leaders Juventus to just one point after the Old Lady slipped to a surprise 1-1 draw at Sassuolo.
Roma take on Bayern in Italy on Tuesday evening and boss Rudi Garcia has revealed that he is excited as anyone about the prospect.
“Bayern are very strong and I really can’t wait to play this game, as the Stadio Olimpico atmosphere will be fantastic,” Garcia told Sky Sport Italia.
“I was one of those who knew Pep Guardiola hadn’t chosen an easy challenge at Bayern Munich. He has done and will continue to do very well there.
“I heard people say the coach isn’t what makes Barcelona play well but instead Guardiola is proving he makes his teams play well.”
We’ll have Manuel Pellegrini’s press conference from Moscow on the site on Monday afternoon, as well as all of the rest of the build-up to this pivotal Group E clash.
