2020–21 PFC CSKA Moscow season

On 20 July, Vitali Zhironkin returned to Baltika Kaliningrad on loan for the 2020–21 season.[1]

On 31 July, Maksim Yeleyev signed a new contract with CSKA Moscow, until the summer of 2024, and moved to Akron Tolyatti on a season-long loan deal.[2] Also on 31 July, Khetag Khosonov left CSKA to move permanently to Alania Vladikavkaz.[3]

On 5 August, Cédric Gogoua joined Rotor Volgograd on a season-long loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent,[4] whilst Ilya Pomazun extended his CSKA contract until the end of the 2024–25 season, and moved to Ural Yekaterinburg on loan for the season.[5] Later the same day, CSKA announced the signing of Adolfo Gaich to a five-year contract, from San Lorenzo.[6]

On 7 August, CSKA agreed a new one-year contract with Kirill Nababkin after his previous contract had expired at the end of the previous season.[7]

On 11 August, Lassana N'Diaye joined Swedish Superettan club AFC Eskilstuna on loan for the remainder of 2020.[8]

On 12 August, Timur Zhamaletdinov was sold to FC Ufa.[9]

On 20 August, Gocha Gogriciani moved to Akron Tolyatti on loan for the season season.[10]

On 25 August, CSKA announced the signing of Baktiyar Zaynutdinov from Rostov on a five-year contract,[11] and Bruno Fuchs from Internacional also on a five-year contract.[12]

On 28 August, CSKA announced the signing of Chidera Ejuke from SC Heerenveen on a four-year contract.[13]

CSKA opened the season with an away trip to newly promoted FC Khimki, which they won 2-0 thanks to first half goals from Konstantin Kuchayev and Alan Dzagoev.[14] In CSKA's second game of the season, they defeated Tambov 2-1, with Kuchayev scoring his second goal of the season and Ilya Shkurin scoring his first for the club.[15]

On 19 August, CSKA faced Zenit St.Petersburg in the first 'El-Clasikov' of the season. CSKA lost the match 2-1 to Zenit, with Vlašić scoring CSKA's only goal.[16]

On 22 August, CSKA hosted Rubin Kazan at the VEB Arena, losing 2-1 to a later winner scored by Denis Makarov, after Nikola Vlašić had cancelled out Soltmurad Bakayev's opener.[17]

On 26 August, CSKA traveled to Krasnodar, drawing 1-1 after Wanderson cancelled out Konstantin Kuchayev's third goal of the season.[18]

On 30 August, CSKA faced Akhmat Grozny at the Akhmat-Arena in Grozny, where a first half goal from Konstantin Kuchayev and two late second-half goals from Kristijan Bistrović and Nikola Vlašić, saw CSKA turn out 3-0 winners.[19]

On 11 September, Nayair Tiknizyan signed a new contract with CSKA, until the end of the 2024–25 season.[20]

On 13 September, CSKA hosted Spartak Moscow in the first Moscow derby of the season at the VEB Arena. Spartak opened the scoring in the 11th minute through Ezequiel Ponce, before Hörður Magnússon and Nikola Vlašić scored before half-time to give CSKA the lead. In injury time at the end of the match Chidera Ejuke scored his first goal for CSKA and to seal a 3-1 victory.[21]

On 18 September, Jaka Bijol was loaned to Hannover 96 for one-season.[22]

On 20 September, CSKA travelled to Ufa, where a 65th minute goal from Kristijan Bistrović secured the win for CSKA.[23]

On 27 September, CSKA hosted Lokomotiv Moscow in the second Moscow derby of the season. Fyodor Smolov scored the only goal of the game, whilst Kristijan Bistrović was sent off for two bookable offence with the game ending 1-0 to Lokomotiv.[24]

CSKA started October by being drawn into a Europa League group with Wolfsberger AC, Dinamo Zagreb and Feyenoord on 2 October.[25] The following day, 3 October, CSKA played Ural Yekaterinburg at the Central Stadium in Yekaterinburg and ran out 2-0 winners. After Hörður Magnússon was shown a red card early in the second half, goals from Baktiyar Zaynutdinov and Konstantin Maradishvili gave CSKA the win.[26]

Following the international break, CSKA host Dynamo Moscow at the VEB Arena on 18 October. After an early Fyodor Chalov goal was ruled out, Konstantin Kuchayev scored his fifth goal of the season to give CSKA the lead in the 51st minute. Chidera Ejuke doubled CSKA's lead three minutes later, before Nikola Moro made it three goals in six minutes to make it 2-1. Igor Diveyev scored CSKA's third goal of the game before Roman Yevgenyev was sent off for a second booking, with the game ending 3-1 to CSKA.[27]

CSKA traveled to Austria on 22 October to face Wolfsberger AC in the first group match of their UEFA Europa League campaign. Adolfo Gaich opened the scoring with his first goal for the club in fifth minute, before a forty-second minute penalty from Michael Liendl, after a Viktor Vasin foul, levelled the scoring. With neither side finding the net in the second half, the game finished 1-1.[28]

On 26 October, CSKA hosted Arsenal Tula at the VEB Arena, with Fyodor Chalov opening the scoring in stoppage time at the end of the first half from the penalty spot. In the second, CSKA continued their scoring with Nikola Vlašić scoring a brace before Luka Đorđević pulled one back for Arsenal Tula and Arnór Sigurðsson and Ivan Oblyakov rounded off the scoring to see CSKA run out 5-1 winner.[29] Three days later, 29 October, CSKA played out a 0-0 draw with Dinamo Zagreb at the VEB Arena in the second game day of the UEFA Europa League.[30]

CSKA travelled to Rotor Volgograd on 1 November, winning 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Alan Dzagoev.[31]

On 4 November, CSKA extended their contract with Vadim Karpov until the summer of 2025.[32] The following day, 5 November, CSKA faced Feyenoord at De Kuip in their third UEFA Europa League match. Feyenoord won the match 3-1, with CSKA's consolation goal coming from a Marcos Senesi own goal in the 80th minute, leaving CSKA at the bottom of Group K on 2 points at the half was point of the Group Stages.[33]

On 8 November, CSKA hosted Rostov at the VEB Arena, winning 2-0 with a goal in each half. Konstantin Kuchayev scored his sixth of the season with a deflected shot past Sergei Pesyakov, before Roman Eremenko missed a penalty for Rostov, and Fyodor Chalov sealed the victory for CSKA in the 74th minute.[34]

On 20 November, CSKA extended their contract with Fyodor Chalov until the summer of 2024.[35]

On 22 November, CSKA hosted Sochi at the VEB Arena in the 15th round of the Russian Premier League. The match ended 1-1, with Arnór Sigurðsson giving CSKA the lead in the 5th minute and Nikita Burmistrov equalising for Sochi in the 23rd minute.[36] Four days later, CSKA drew 0-0 at home to Feyenoord in the Europa League. CSKA suffered their first league defeat in six games on 29 November, losing 1-0 to Rubin Kazan at the Ak Bars Arena.[37]

CSKA where knocked out of the UEFA Europa League with one group remaining on 3 December, after suffering a 1-0 home defeat to Wolfsberger AC. The following day, 4 December, Kristijan Bistrović extended his contract with CSKA until the summer of 2025.[38]

On 6 December, CSKA hosted Khimki at the VEB Arena. After Nikola Vlašić initially gave CSKA the lead in the first half, Khimki scored twice within 5 minutes through Ilya Kukharchuk and Reziuan Mirzov at the start of the second half before Ilya Shkurin rounded off the scoring with an equaliser for CSKA in the 54th minute.[39]

On 10 December, CSKA traveled to Zagreb to face Dinamo Zagreb in their last Europa League group match, losing 3-1 with Kristijan Bistrović scoring CSKA's consolation goal. Three days later, 13 December, CSKA hosted Ural Yekaterinburg at the VEB Arena. Ilya Shkurin gave CSKA the lead in the 12th minute before Andrei Yegorychev equalised in the 31st minute to end the first half 1-1. In the second half, Pavel Pogrebnyak was sent off for two yellow cards in quick succession before Nikola Vlašić restored CSKA's lead from the penalty spot in the 61st minute. Ihor Kalinin scored a 90th minute equaliser for Ural, before Shkurin received a straight red card for a challenge and the game ending 2-2 and extending CSKA's win-less streak to 7 games.[40]

On 13 January, Vitali Zhironkin returned to CSKA after his loan deal to Baltika Kaliningrad was ended early.[41]

On 22 January, Kristijan Bistrović moved to Kasımpaşa on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option for the transfer to be made permanent.[42]

On 30 January, Adolfo Gaich joined Benevento on loan for the remainder of the season.[43]

On 1 February, Vitali Zhironkin joined KAMAZ on loan for the remainder of the season.[44]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  RUS Ilya Pomazun (at Ural Yekaterinburg) 19 FW  JPN Takuma Nishimura (at Vegalta Sendai) 21 FW  ARG Adolfo Gaich (at Benevento) 25 MF  CRO Kristijan Bistrović (at Kasımpaşa) 27 DF  CIV Cédric Gogoua (at Rotor Volgograd)

No. Pos. Nation Player 29 MF  SVN Jaka Bijol (at Hannover 96) 53 DF  RUS Maksim Yeleyev (at Akron Tolyatti) 81 FW  RUS Vitali Zhironkin (at KAMAZ) — MF  RUS Gocha Gogriciani (at Akron Tolyatti)