1996 in Russian football

1996 in Russian football returned the fifth national title to Spartak Moscow, while the Russian Cup was taken by Lokomotiv Moscow.

National team

Russia national football team finished last in Group C at Euro 96.

# Russia score given first

;Key
* H = Home match
* A = Away match
* A = Neutral ground
* F = Friendly
* RT = Rothmans Tournament
* EC = 1996 UEFA European Football Championship, Group C
* WCQ = 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying, UEFA Group 5

Leagues

Top League

First League

Dynamo-Gazovik, Shinnik, and Fakel won promotion from the First League.

Varlam Kilasoniya of Lokomotiv SPb became the top goalscorer with 22 goals.

econd League

The following clubs of the Second League won promotion:
*FC Metallurg Lipetsk ("West" champions)
*FC Anzhi Makhachkala ("West" runners-up)
*FC Lada Dimitrovgrad ("Centre" winners)
*FC CSK VVS-Kristall Smolensk ("Centre" runners-up)
*FC Irtysh Omsk ("East" champions)

Cup

The Russian Cup was won by Lokomotiv Moscow, who beat Spartak Moscow 3–2 in the final.

UEFA club competitions

UEFA Champions League 1995-96

Spartak Moscow played in the quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League 1995-96, where they lost 2–4 on aggregate to FC Nantes Atlantique.

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1995-96

Dynamo Moscow were in the quarterfinal of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1995-96, where they were beaten twice by SK Rapid Wien.

UEFA Intertoto Cup 1996

Rotor Volgograd, KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny, and Uralmash Yekaterinburg, the Russian clubs in the UEFA Intertoto Cup 1996, started the campaign well, winning their respective groups. In the semifinals Uralmash were eliminated by Silkeborg IF, and KAMAZ by En Avant Guingamp. Rotor qualified to the finals by defeating LASK Linz, only to lose to Guingamp on away goals.

UEFA Champions League 1996-97

1995 champions Alania Vladikavkaz were thrashed 10–3 on aggregate by Rangers F.C. in the qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League 1996-97.

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1996-97

Lokomotiv Moscow overcame NK Varteks on away goals in the first round of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1996-97, but lost twice to SL Benfica in the second round.

UEFA Cup 1996-97

Russian clubs performed well in the qualifying round of the UEFA Cup 1996-97, with Dynamo Moscow, CSKA Moscow, Spartak Moscow, and Torpedo Moscow eliminating FC Jazz, Íþróttabandalag Akraness, NK Croatia Zagreb, and Hajduk Split, respectively. In the first round they were joined by Alania Vladikavkaz. Only Spartak were able to get part the first round. CSKA were eliminated by Feyenoord Rotterdam, Dynamo by A.S. Roma, Alania by R.S.C. Anderlecht, and Torpedo by FC Dinamo Tbilisi.

Spartak overcame Silkeborg IF in the first round, and were eliminated by Hamburger SV in the second round.

References

* [http://rusteam.permian.ru/history/1996.html National team fixtures] ru icon
* [http://rsssf.com/tablesr/rus96.html League and cup results]
* [http://www.klisf.info/tourns/rus/1996/10.htm League top scorers] ru icon
* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/history/Season=1996/intro.html UEFA Champions League results]
* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ECWC/history/Season=1996/intro.html UEFA Cup Winners' Cup results]
* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UEFACup/history/Season=1996/intro.html UEFA Cup results]
* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/history/Season=1996/intro.html UEFA Intertoto Cup results]