CSKA Moscow and Spartak Moscow meet on Sunday at the VEB Arena for the 12th round of the Russian Premier League, with kickoff scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Moscow time, ria.ru reported. The fixture, widely known as the “Derby of All Russias,” drew immense ticket demand ahead of the weekend, with CSKA announcing that all available seats sold out several days before the match.

Jiří Jarošík on Derby Intensity

Former CSKA midfielder Jiří Jarošík described the fixture as a match that demands total commitment and a fighting spirit from every participant. The Czech former footballer told ria.ru that while the historic rivalry forces players to elevate their performances, professionals must maintain that same standard across every fixture on the calendar.

“Derby matches like CSKA against Spartak force players to show all their strengths,” Jarošík said, as reported by ria.ru. “But I aimed to do that in every game. I always tried to follow the coaches’ instructions and show my best game. I always remembered that I wasn’t just playing for one team or another, but for my own name, so everyone would see that the Jarošík surname is a sign of high quality.”

Career Reflections Across European Leagues

Jarošík reflected on his career path, highlighting his opening season with CSKA Moscow and a subsequent stint with Spanish side Real Zaragoza as his professional highlights. During his first year in Moscow, initial doubts quickly vanished as his form clicked, understanding with teammates developed, and supporters embraced him. In Spain, he experienced a level of play where he felt complete technical comfort, earned backing from teammates, and won recognition as the team’s best player.

“I was lucky in my career to play in top-class clubs—Sparta Prague, CSKA, Chelsea, Celtic—and be league champions with them,” Jarošík said, according to ria.ru. He also recalled playing alongside Didier Drogba at Chelsea, describing the striker’s ability to manipulate the ball on the pitch like a magician while noting that exceptional players are typically good people as well.