CSKA Moscow hope their forthcoming UEFA Cup tie against Aston Villa can be played on their artificial pitch at Luzhniki Stadium, reports the Daily Mail. It was replaced by grass for the Champions League Final in May, but is now back to its regular state.

There are plans to move the match to the warmer, southern Russian city of Krasnodar, but CSKA hope to keep the game in the capital to use the wintry conditions, artificial pitch and partisan crowd to their advantage.

CSKA director-general Roman Babaev said: "As our first choice of stadium, we have proposed Luzhniki."