BETCITY PARMA vs Zenit. Preview
Opponent
Evgeny Pashutin's squad had a very successful December, which allowed the Ural team to enter the New Year holidays in 3rd place in the standings. Last month, PARMA beat Pari NN twice (93:85 and 102:79), lost to CSKA (55:93), and also secured victories over Loko (93:85), Uralmash (79:74), and Enisey (91:72). The Perm team approaches the clash with Zenit on a four-game unbeaten streak.
One of the main leaders for the hosts is undoubtedly center Terrell Carter, who was named the VTB United League MVP for December. His averages for the past month were 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. The American recorded a double-double in the win over Uralmash (11 points + 11 rebounds) and was the top scorer in the game against Lokomotiv Kuban (23 points and a 24 efficiency rating).
Head-to-head
The history of head-to-head matches in the VTB League between BETCITY PARMA and Zenit consists of 28 meetings, with the tally currently standing at 25-3 in favor of the St. Petersburg team.
Direct speech
Zenit's head coach Aleksander Sekulic — ahead of the first game of 2026:
After new years break we have an important match in loud arena against the team who is playing really well especially on home court. It will be important to play smart and sharp on offense. Defense will be the key in this game! That is why in order to beat Parma we must play excellent team defense.
Blue-White-Sky Blues guard Alexander Shcherbenev also shared a comment ahead of tomorrow's match:
I traditionally celebrated New Year at home with my family. During our preparation for the game in Perm, we studied the opponent's play, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses. For PARMA, I would first note their cohesion and their home crowd. Does the fact that they consistently beat top teams at home scare us? No, it doesn't scare us, but it makes it clear it won't be an easy walk.
Who. Where. When.
Opponent: PARMA
Location: Molot Arena, Perm
Date: January 4, 16:00 (St. Petersburg time)
Broadcast: Okko Sport, VTB United League website, VK Video, Start Basket
