The 2020–21 PFC CSKA Moscow season was the club's 110th season in existence and the 29th consecutive season in the top flight of Russian football. In addition to the domestic league, CSKA Moscow participates in this season's editions of the Russian Cup and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from August 2020 to 30 June 2021. CSKA Moscow finished the season in 6th place, were knocked out of the Russian Cup by Lokomotiv Moscow in the semifinals, and finished 4th in their UEFA Europa League group.
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]
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 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]
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 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 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]
December
CSKA were 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 21 January, CSKA Moscow signed defender Aleksei Sukharev from Avangard Kursk after he'd previously spent time on loan at CSKA during the 2019–20 season.[43] The following day, 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.[44]
On 17 March, CSKA hosted Zenit St.Petersburg at the VEB Arena, losing 3–2. CSKA took the lead through former Zenit striker Salomón Rondón in the 28th minute, with Artem Dzyuba equalising in the 33rd minute before missing a penalty in the 45th minute. In the second half Wendel scored twice, with Ilzat Akhmetov being sent-off for CSKA in between the two goals, before Nikola Vlašić scored a stoppage time penalty to end the match 3–2.[60]
On 22 March, Viktor Goncharenko left his role as Head Coach of CSKA Moscow by mutual consent.[61] The following day, 23 March, CSKA announced Ivica Olić as their new Head Coach.[62]
April
On 4 April, new Head Coach, Ivica Olić, took charge of his first game for CSKA, away to Tambov. After Artyom Arkhipov game Tambov the lead from the penalty spot in the 16th minute, Nikola Vlašić equalised from the penalty spot 10 minutes later before Salomón Rondón also scored from the spot in the 52nd minute. Vlašić would later miss another penalty in the 64th minute, with the match ending 2–1 to CSKA.[63] 4 days later, 8 April, CSKA played Arsenal Tula at the Arsenal Stadium in the Russian Cup. After falling behind to a Yevgeni Lutsenko first-half goal, Vadim Karpov equalised early in the second half, before Lutsenko was then sent-off and Mário Fernandes sealed the win in the 86th minute, to send CSKA through to the semifinal of the Cup.[64] CSKA hosted Rotor Volgograd on 12 April at the VEB Arena. After Chidera Ejuke gave CSKA the lead just before half-time, Salomón Rondón doubled CSKA's lead in the 70th minute to earn CSKA a 2–0 victory over Rotor to leave them fourth in the table.[65] On 18 April, CSKA traveled to Sochi to face PFC Sochi, where Igor Diveyev's second half goal wasn't enough to prevent Sochi winning 2–1, leaving CSKA 5th in the table.[66]
On 1 May, CSKA hosted Ufa at the VEB Arena. Filip Mrzljak gave Ufa the lead in the 66th minute before Fyodor Chalov equalised 5 minutes later for CSKA to end the game 1–1.[69]
On 8 May, CSKA hosted Krasnodar in their last home game of the season. Viktor Claesson gave Krasnodar the lead in the 26th minute, with Chidera Ejuke equalising six minutes later. Fyodor Chalov gave CSKA the lead in the 56th minute before Mário Fernandes finished off the scoring in the 69th minute to give CSKA a 3–1 victory and leaving them in 6th position going in to the last game of the season, 2 points off the European places.[70]
On 16 May, CSKA ended their season with a 3–2 away defeat to Dynamo Moscow, which left them finishing sixth in the league. Nair Tiknizyan gave CSKA the lead in the first half, before two goals from Vyacheslav Grulyov gave Dynamo Moscow the lead. Chidera Ejuke equalised for CSKA in the 79th minute before Arsen Zakharyan won it for Dynamo in the 89th minute.[71]