- Red Star form: FK Red Star Belgrade have won four and drawn one of their last five, so arrive in Switzerland in good rhythm.
- Lugano form: FC Lugano have won seven, drawn two and lost one of their last ten in all competitions, so arrive in similarly good form.
First-ever meeting between two top teams in good form
FC Lugano and FK Red Star Belgrade come into this game in similar form with Lugano having seven wins, two draws and one defeat and Red Star having seven wins, one draw and two defeats from their respective last ten, so we're likely to see a closely fought game when these two sides clash at the AIL Arena on Thursday.
The Bianconeri are one of the two most in-form teams in the Swiss top-flight, with three wins, one draw and one defeat from their last five, depending on which way the last two results are spun.
That's probably about right given that Red Star have won four and drawn one of their last five in all competitions, while Lugano have been involved in a similar mood swing with three wins in their last five matches.
- Lugano brushed aside Lausanne-Sports 4-0 away from home in their Super League, but then slumped to a 1-3 home defeat against Serie A side Hellas Verona in a friendly just days later.
- The Stars are a shade of a favourite at 2.48, with Lugano a slightly bigger price at 2.64 and the draw at 3.5.
Game should be open as Red Star can nick goals on their travels
Form and betting outlook
In terms of the overall form, Mattia Croci-Torti's men are more than holding their own in the face of a Red Star team that are in even better rhythm at the moment, so there's not much of a case to be made for an outright bet in this one.
Lugano's overall home record in all competitions (W3, D1, L1 from five) also suggests they are a tough nut to crack in Ticino.
Both teams have been scoring and conceding plenty of goals, with Lugano bagging 2.00 per home match and conceding an average of 1.40 at the other end, while Red Star average 1.20 away goals in all competitions and has scored six.
They should both be involved in the game, so Over 2.5 goals at 1.7 and Both Teams to Score at 1.55 look like great wagers, and Red Star to win and BTTS looks the sharp angle.
Tactical approaches
The teams set up and play very differently and that should make for an interesting chess match in Switzerland.
Lugano like to play patient soccer in their 4-2-3-1 system, looking to keep the ball for long periods and then strike on the counter.
Red Star are more flexible and operate at a much higher tempo with pressing traps and the transition from defense to attack.
So, it will be interesting to see how it pans out and, in our opinion, the most likely outcome is for a close game with the visitors edging it because they are in the better rhythm at the moment.
