- Plzen have scored nine goals in their last five matches across all competitions with Kabongo the main threat.
- Red Star have scored five goals in two away matches across all competitions, showing they can play their best away from home.
An even match between two evenly matched teams
FK Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda) and FC Viktoria Plzen are evenly matched on paper with Red Star arriving here as the more likely winners on recent evidence, although the bookies have them as slight underdogs at 2.82. Plzen are 2.4 and the draw is priced up at 3.55, which is an interesting price, but I'm not confident in Red Star not to get something from this game in Czechia.
Albert Riera has been in charge of the Crvena Zvezda since the 14th of August 2026 and has made them a much more aggressive side than they previously were under Dejan Stankovic. Riera's Red Star play an on-the-front-foot style, with high pressing and ball control at the heart of their identity. This means that Red Star will be looking to pin Plzen back and prevent them from playing their own game, which is a compact, transition-based style that aims to hit teams on the break with fast, vertical runs.
Goals are expected in Plzen
Red Star won 3-0 in the reverse fixture between these two in the UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026, and they will hope to carry that momentum into this one. The last five games for Red Star read as follows: 3 wins and 2 defeats, but the 3-0 win over Plzen came after the 0-2 defeat to Hapoel Beer-Sheva, which should leave them in good spirits ahead of this one.
Martin Hysky has kept Plzen tactically versatile since he took over as manager on 15th October 2025, switching between a 4-2-3-1 and a more compact back-four style, depending on the opponent. In the last 5, Plzen are 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses, showing some fight, but little sting. The 3-0 loss to Red Star was their most recent outing.
Plzen can be a good but not great home side
Across all competitions, Red Star have 1 win and 1 loss in 2 matches away from home, so they should be confident that they can travel to Plzen and get something from the game. At home, Plzen have won 2, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their 6 matches this season, so the Doosan Arena Plzen hasn't been a fortress for them.
Over 2.5 goals at 1.54 is a solid price for a game that should be open and lively, while Both Teams To Score - Yes at 1.46 also appeals in this clash of two similarly attacking sides.
Christophe Kabongo has been Plzen's main threat in the box recently, scoring 3 goals in their last 5 games across all competitions, while Aleksandar Katai has 3 of Red Star's 10 goals in their last 5 matches and Mirko Ivanic has scored 2 goals in 1 UEFA Europa League Qualification 2026 match, making him a dangerous player to be found at the sharp end of an attacking move. Timi Elsnik has 3 assists in Red Star's last 5 and can get the ball to the frontline with real quality.
