Lystsov joined the Lokomotiv Academy at the age of 12 and soon he became one of the leading players of the U12 team, with which he won the Russian championship. In 2012, Lystsov progressed to Lokomotiv’s youth team. In the fall of the same year, Vitali was occasionally picked up to train with the main team, and on November 24, the 17-year-old defender made his debut for the first team in the game against Krasnodar.

In 2014, Lystsov moved to the Portuguese Leiria, and a year later he became a Benfica player, which loaned him out twice to Benfica B and Tondela. The 19/20 season Vitali spent in Krylia Sovetov.