Rubin Kazan coach Kurban Berdiyev claims retaining the Russian Premier Liga title proves their maiden success was "no fluke".

Rubin sealed their second successive league crown today with a goalless draw against Zenit St Petersburg as closest challengers Spartak Moscow went down 3-2 at city rivals CSKA.

"We were perfectly aware that [this season] would be a lot tougher than the last," said Berdiyev.

"The aim wasn't even to retain the title, but to play well enough to show that last season was no fluke."

With Rubin's crunch Champions League clash at home to Dynamo Kiev only three days away, Berdiyev insists celebrations are being kept to a minimum.

"Talking specifically about the game, I'm not satisfied because we should have scored," he added.

"But the main thing was we got the result to win us the medals.

"Today the celebrations have been pretty low-key. The season isn't over yet.

Rubin's top goalscorer Aleksandr Bukharov seemed in a more buoyant mood than his softly-spoken coach, and paid tribute to the atmosphere created inside the Central Stadium by the club's fans.

"We haven't known support like it before," he said.

"The fans were chanting the team name for the full 90 minutes.

"My ears were ringing from the noise even on the pitch."

Bukharov, though, was also keen to point out the team's focus had now turned to the game with Dynamo.

He added: "Last year there was more champagne! Everyone has had one or two drops, but that's all.

"We've still got the Champions League to think about."

For Bukharov, the title will go a little way to helping make up for Russia's World Cup play-off defeat to Slovenia in midweek, which meant they would be taking no part in next summer's tournament in South Africa.

The striker, who recently won his first cap for the national team but was not involved in the match on Wednesday, admitted the disappointment of elimination had been on the players' minds.

"Of course, the fact that the national team haven't made it to the World Cup had an influence on the mood," he said.

"But there was no despondency. Today we thought only of the club succeeding."