This was the first season in Russian football history to be played on the basis of the autumn/spring calendar, rather than the spring/autumn schedule traditionally used in Russia due to climate conditions.
Former Russian champions Alania made their immediate return to the Premier League, while Mordovia are playing their first season at the highest football level of Russia.
Midfielders: Rasmus Elm (26 / 5), Pontus Wernbloom (26 / 4), Zoran Tošić (25 / 3), Aleksandrs Cauņa (25 / 3), Alan Dzagoev (24 / 7), Keisuke Honda (23 / 7), Pavel Mamayev (19 / 1), Mark González (11), Sekou Oliseh (11), Ravil Netfullin (8).
Defenders: Tomáš Hubočan (24), Aleksandr Anyukov (22 / 1), Nicolas Lombaerts (22), Bruno Alves (21 / 1), Domenico Criscito (12 / 2), Renat Yanbayev (11 / 1), Luís Neto (9 / 1), Aleksandar Luković (9), Milan Rodić (4), Michael Lumb (1), Igor Cheminava (1).
Midfielders: Konstantin Zyryanov (27 / 6), Roman Shirokov (25 / 5), Viktor Fayzulin (24 / 6), Vladimir Bystrov (24 / 3), Igor Denisov (23), Axel Witsel (19 / 4), Sergei Semak (16 / 2), Danny (12 / 2), Pavel Mogilevets (2), Alexey Yevseyev (1), Vyacheslav Zinkov (1), Danila Yashchuk (1).
Transferred out during the season: Renat Yanbayev (end of loan from Lokomotiv Moscow), Maksim Kanunnikov (to Amkar Perm), Michael Lumb (to Bochum).
Defenders: João Carlos (25 / 2), Rasim Tagirbekov (22 / 2), Arseniy Logashov (19), Christopher Samba (17 / 2), Kamil Agalarov (14), Ali Gadzhibekov (8), Emir Spahić (7 / 1), Ewerton (7), Andrey Yeshchenko (2).
Midfielders: Jucilei (27), Mbark Boussoufa (26 / 4), Oleg Shatov (24 / 3), Yuri Zhirkov (23 / 2), Mehdi Carcela (20 / 1), Odil Ahmedov (17 / 1), Lassana Diarra (14), Willian (7 / 1), Georgy Gabulov (7 / 1), Sharif Mukhammad (3), Aleksei Ivanov (1).
Forwards: Samuel Eto'o (25 / 10), Lacina Traoré (24 / 12), Fyodor Smolov (15), Shamil Lakhiyalov (8), Serder Serderov (4), Nikita Burmistrov (4).
Transferred out during the season: Christopher Samba (to Queens Park Rangers), Shamil Lakhiyalov (to Krylia Sovetov Samara), Georgy Gabulov (to Alania Vladikavkaz), Nikita Burmistrov (on loan to Amkar Perm), Aleksei Ivanov (to Mordovia Saransk).