UNICS vs Zenit. Game 1 preview

Tomorrow, Zenit will play the first match of the VTB United League semifinals for the 2025/26 season. The series against UNICS will begin in Kazan and promises to be a tough test for both teams, whose goal, of course, is the final. In the morning, the main squad of the St. Petersburg team departed for the capital of Tatarstan.

How is the opponent doing?

Unlike the blue-white-sky blues, who extended their quarterfinal series against Uralmash to a fourth game (winning 3-1), the home team confidently dispatched MBA-MAI, advancing to the next playoff round without a single loss – 3-0.

We are facing a clash between two teams that have changed significantly over the course of the season, suffered from injuries, but in the semifinals, each side will undoubtedly be ready to pull out their trump cards and surprise their opponents. Let's prepare for an intense battle, which starts tomorrow!

Head-to-head

Six – that's exactly how many times Zenit and UNICS have played each other this season. Two matches took place in the group stage of the WINLINE Basket Cup, and another four were part of the VTB League regular championship. Currently, the score is tied – 3-3. This is despite the fact that in the first half of the season, Kazan won three consecutive victories; now, the winning streak is on St. Petersburg's side.

We have already faced UNICS in the semifinals before. In 2022, on their way to the gold, the blue-white-sky blues won 3-1. However, three years ago, the series went to a seventh game, after which the Kazan team advanced to the championship final for themselves, while the Zenit players played for bronze against CSKA.

In total, in the VTB United League, the teams have met 49 times, with the advantage remaining in the hands of the "green" ones – 26-23.

Direct speech

Comment from the head coach of the St. Petersburg team Dejan Radonjić before the first game in Kazan:

Tomorrow we will play first game against UNICS. We can expect a very tough and very physical game. So, we need to be ready to do a lot of things defensively. Offensively — to read the game and to control the rhythm. And of course our focus must be good enough from the first to the last minute.

Match Details

Opponent: UNICS

Venue: Basket-Hall, Kazan

Time: May 11, 6:00 PM St. Petersburg time

Broadcast: Match! Strana, Match! Game, VTB United League website, VK Video, Start Triumph, Start Basketball