Since European football began, all games in Russia have been filed firmly in the category of tricky away fixtures.
Long flights and recovery times, hostile crowds, sub-zero temperatures and artificial surfaces have all been cited, but the modern game has levelled the playing field.
Tottenham will perform on grass in CSKA Moscow's shiny new stadium, opened only last month, on what is expected to be a cool night but nothing like the chill which bites the Russian capital in November.
Spurs made it trickier for themselves by losing their Champions League opener against Monaco at Wembley and there is pressure on manager Mauricio Pochettino to take something from this game, despite being without five key first-teamers.