Our prediction for this Champions League match:
The ground at Stadion Rajko Mitic will be shaking when Crvena Zvezda and Young Boys square off against each other in the Champions League group stages round 2. The Red and Whites have been struggling to find their best form under new boss Barak Bakhar, but a win over Radnicki Nis at the weekend surely gave them a confidence boost. Fit-again winger Aleksandar Katai should play some part in Wednesday’s clash, with talented midfielder Vladimir Lucic pushing for a start as well.
Young Boys, on the other hand, did well to beat Grasshoppers thanks to Cedric Itten’s goal in the Swiss Super League derby, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry in Belgrade. Since atmosphere at Stadion Rajko Mitic will be electrifying, we are tempted to put our money on Crvena Zvezda, who signed several high-profile players in the summer transfer window. There are no fresh injury worries in the visiting team.
Highlighted Team (Crvena Zvezda):
Crvena Zvezda are the most famous club in Balkans. The Crveno-beli have 19 Yugoslav First League titles and have won eight domestic trophies since the breakup of Yugoslavia. Crvena Zvezda won their last league title in the 2015/2016 season, with the team finishing the campaign no less than 28 points clear of Partizan.
Speaking of Partizan, the Crno-beli are considered Crvena Zvezda’s bitterest rivals and the two teams meet in the “Eternal derby” (Veciti derbi). The capital club did well to win the European Cup title in 1991, with the team beating Olympique Marseile on penalties in the title game. That is considered the club’s biggest success, but it has to be noted that the Serbian club won the International Cup later in 1991. Crvena Zvezda outclassed Colo Colo of Chile (3-0) at National Stadium in Tokyo.
The likes of Dejan Savicevic, Vladimir Jugovic, Dragan Stojkovic, Dragoslav Sekularac, Rajko Mitic, Dusan Savic, Nemanja Vidic and Dejan Stankovic are some of the famous footballers who played for Crvena Zvezda in the past.