After an unprecedented 5th-place finish in the Russian Premier League, Kuban Krasnodar achieved European qualification this season. Their savvy transfer dealings were a major factor in contributing to their best-ever finish. Unbelievably cheap and quality signings were made, contrasting heavily with Zenit Saint Petersburg’s expensive, yet largely disruptive or ineffective signings of Hulk and Axel Witsel. One major highlight was Aleksei Ionov, who assisted 12 times in the league from 30 … [Read more...]