Spartak Moscow players celebrate whilst watching replay of Zenit fight

Spartak Moscow players celebrated in the changing room, after watching the replay of their side's fight with Zenit St Petersburg.

Whilst domestic football across most of Europe has been on pause during the World Cup, that's not the case in Russia, who were banned from taking part in the competition.

The league has now actually paused for their winter break with no one wanting play in the ridiculously cold temperatures in the country, it was still going on last weekend.

It was actually the final week of the group stages of the Russian Cup, with Spartak and Zenit facing each other, with a place in the knockout stages up for grabs.

The game finished 0-0, eventually going to penalties, but the flash point of the game came deep into injury time at the end of the game, as the two sides began brawling.

Six players were sent off, three from each side, and Spartak players decided to watch it all unfold on a replay in their changing room, celebrating when one of their players landed a punch, as you can see in the video below.

Zenit currently lead their rivals in the league, with the two sides first and second at the top of the table, with six points separating them going into the winter break.

However, in the cup the roles were reversed, with Spartak finishing top of the four team group, and actually knocking their rivals out.

With the game going to penalties, Guille Abascal's side took it on spot kicks, scoring four of their attempts to Zenit's two, and earning the three points.

That loss for Zenit left them behind Spartak, and Samara side Krylia Sovetov, who beat Fakel to finish second in the group to go through.

Russia have been banned from international competitions but could attempt to qualify for the next World Cup, in USA, Canada and Mexico in three and a half years time, through the Asian Football Confederation.

The country have been banned by UEFA from football, following Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine earlier this year, leading to Russia to look for alternative options.

RFU President Alexander Dyukov recently revealed: "We [Russia] will consider this matter at an executive board meeting. I am not sure any decision will be passed but the situation requires discussion.

"UEFA considers us a member of the European family. We are implementing all the programs, they are participating in project financing.

"It would be unsavory of us to plunge into talks over their head. I said it is important for us to hold official matches. We had two years of coronavirus, and now we are suspended."

Such a move could also massively impact Russian club football, as in theory, it would see the best domestic clubs competing in the Asian Champions League, rather than the European version.