По сравнению с прошлым чемпионатом этот нападающий играет увереннее, а защитник — спокойнее.

Because по сравнению с is a fixed expression meaning in comparison with / compared to, and the noun after с normally goes in the instrumental case.

So:

• прошлый чемпионат = nominative
• с прошлым чемпионатом = instrumental

That is why you get:

• по сравнению с прошлым чемпионатом

A good chunk to memorize is the whole phrase:

• по сравнению с + instrumental = compared with / in comparison with

Examples:

• По сравнению с прошлым годом = Compared with last year
• По сравнению с братом = Compared with his brother

It means compared with or in comparison with.

In this sentence, it sets the standard of comparison: the players’ current performance is being compared to their performance in the previous championship/tournament.

So the sentence is essentially saying:

• Compared with the previous championship, this forward is playing more confidently, and the defender more calmly.

It applies to the whole statement, not just one word.

Because of the preposition с in the expression по сравнению с.

The instrumental endings here are:

• прошлый → прошлым
• чемпионат → чемпионатом

So the phrase literally follows the grammar pattern:

• по сравнению с + instrumental

This is one of those patterns that is best learned as a set phrase.

They are comparative forms.

More specifically, in this sentence they function like adverbs:

• играет увереннее = plays more confidently
• играет спокойнее = plays more calmly / more composedly

These forms come from:

• уверенный / уверенно → увереннее
• спокойный / спокойно → спокойнее

A very important point for learners: in Russian, the comparative form is often the same whether English would use an adjective or an adverb.

For example:

• Он выше. = He is taller.
• Он говорит тише. = He speaks more quietly.
• Он играет увереннее. = He plays more confidently.

So here, because they modify играет, they are best understood as adverbial in meaning.

Both are possible.

Russian has two common ways to form the comparative:

1. Simple comparative

   • увереннее
   • спокойнее

2. Analytical comparative

   • более уверенно
   • более спокойно

In everyday speech and natural written Russian, the simple comparative is often more concise and more idiomatic, especially in sentences like this.

So:

• этот нападающий играет увереннее
  sounds very natural.

You could also say:

• этот нападающий играет более уверенно

But the original version is smoother and more compact.

The dash shows that something is omitted because it is understood from the first part of the sentence.

The full version would be:

• По сравнению с прошлым чемпионатом этот нападающий играет увереннее, а защитник играет спокойнее.

In the actual sentence, the second играет is left out:

• а защитник — спокойнее

This kind of omission is very common in Russian. The dash helps mark the missing word and keeps the sentence balanced and elegant.

So the dash here roughly signals:

• and the defender [plays] more calmly

Yes, absolutely.

Both versions are grammatical:

• а защитник — спокойнее
• а защитник играет спокойнее

The version with the dash is a bit more compact and stylistically neat. It avoids repeating играет when the meaning is already obvious.

Russian often prefers this kind of ellipsis when two parts of a sentence are parallel.

Because а often marks a contrast or comparison, even when both parts are positive.

Here the sentence is comparing two players:

• the forward plays more confidently
• the defender more calmly

The point is not simply and also, but rather as for the defender, on the other hand / while the defender...

So а is more natural than и.

Compare:

• и = simple addition
• а = contrast, comparison, change of topic, whereas / while / and as for

In English, the best translation may still just use and, but the Russian а reflects a mild contrast in focus.

In this context, it means something like:

• more calmly
• more composedly
• with more composure

Because the subject is a defender, this is about style of play, not volume or physical quietness.

So it does not mean the defender is literally making less noise. It means the defender is acting in a more controlled, less nervous way.

Likewise:

• увереннее suggests more assurance and confidence in play
• спокойнее suggests more calmness and composure

Этот нападающий means this forward / this striker.

The demonstrative этот points to a specific player already known in the conversation or obvious from context. It does not always mean this one here physically near me; it can simply mean this particular one we’re talking about.

So depending on context, этот may sound like:

• this forward
• this particular striker
• the striker in question

Russian often uses этот where English might or might not use this.

Not always in a narrow, literal sense.

Чемпионат can mean:

• a championship
• a league championship
• a tournament
• sometimes, depending on context, a season or competition cycle

So прошлый чемпионат could mean:

• the previous championship
• the last tournament
• the previous season’s competition

The exact English choice depends on the sport and context. But grammatically, nothing changes.

No. It is comparing their current performance with their performance during the previous championship.

So the sense is:

• Compared with how things were in the previous championship, this forward now plays more confidently, and the defender more calmly.

Russian often uses this kind of comparison shorthand. The noun чемпионат stands for the time period or event in which the earlier performance was observed.

So it is not a literal comparison of player vs championship; it is a comparison across two stages or periods.

The word order is natural and helps the sentence flow, but Russian has some flexibility.

The original order is:

• По сравнению с прошлым чемпионатом
• этот нападающий играет увереннее,
• а защитник — спокойнее.

This works well because:

1. the comparison frame comes first
2. then the first player is mentioned
3. then the second player is contrasted with а

You could rearrange parts for emphasis, but the original version sounds smooth and standard.

For example, Russian often puts a context-setting phrase first:

• По сравнению с прошлым чемпионатом...

That is a very common sentence-opening position for something like compared with last year / in this situation / after the break, etc.