- Red Star are the slight favourites here, listed at 1/1, which doesn't look too far off the mark.
- Plzen are 53/20 and the Draw 13/5 in a game they must win in order to make the second leg viable for them.
- Red Star have won 3 and lost 1 in their last 4 home matches.
An edgy game for the home side
This is a tricky fixture for FK Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda) who have a much better home record than away. Red Star are 5 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats in their last 10 matches across all competitions, a slightly disappointing run of results, but still one which demonstrates the Belgrade club's ceiling is significantly higher than their opposition on Thursday.
Crvena Zvezda's last 5 matches read 3 wins and 2 defeats, so they're not in bad form ahead of this game. Red Star, who play a 4-2-3-1 system with a 4-3-3 variation, beat FK Novi Pazar 2-0 at home before taking a disappointing 0-2 defeat against Hapoel Beer-Sheva in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026.
Stanković's side like to play an aggressive tempo, with their pressing, counter-pressing and compact shape designed to win the ball back immediately and explode forward in transition. When they get on top, their high-pressing shape gives them ownership of territory, as their opponent is forced to sit deep for long periods. Red Star have scored an average of 2.67 goals at home and conceded an average of 0.83 in their 6 home fixtures across all competitions.
A game for the disciplined and structured
This could be an interesting battle between an aggressive attacker and a disciplined and organised defensive unit, as Martin Hysky has brought his compact, role-disciplined setup to Viktoria Plzen since taking over as manager on 15 October 2025. The Czech manager prefers to press selectively, so he must ensure the shape is in place and each man is in his role when Viktorka are without possession.
Hysky's men have won 3, drawn 4 and lost 3 of their last 10 across all competitions, a decent but unspectacular run. Viktorka's last 5 games, however, read 0 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats and they travel to Serbia on the back of two consecutive draws, having drawn 1-1 at home to FC Zbrojovka Brno and 5-5 away to FK Teplice in the 1. Liga 2026/2027.
Plzen have drawn 2 and lost 1 in their 3 away games across all competitions since the end of July, shipping 8 goals along the way. Their structure and the pace of Red Star's game should keep this close, but the hosts' home form and superior finishing numbers give them the edge. A home win and 2-0 result appeals in this clash, while the prices on goals look about right, as Both Teams To Score is 3/5 and Over 2.5 is 81/100, with Under 2.5 at 109/100 keeping a tight game in play.
