Crvena Zvezda - Viktoria Plzeň Europa League qualifying tickets at Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade, Serbia

Crvena Zvezda - Viktoria Plzeň: the first step toward the league phase

Crvena Zvezda and Viktoria Plzeň meet at the Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade in the first leg of the Europa League qualifying play-off. The match will be played on Thursday, August 20, starting at 20:00, with the return leg taking place one week later in Plzeň. This means that everything will not be decided in Belgrade, but the first result can strongly determine the tempo and the level of risk that both teams will have to accept in the second match.

The home side enters this tie after a very turbulent European week. Crvena Zvezda were eliminated from Champions League qualifying after two defeats to Hapoel Beer Sheva, 0:1 in the first match and 0:2 in Belgrade. That second defeat took place in front of 40,883 spectators and ended with a red card for Mohamed Abu Fani. Only a few days later, the club changed its coach, with Albert Riera taking charge of the team.

For the supporters, this makes the match even more interesting. Riera practically has no lengthy preparation period in which to introduce major changes, and he must immediately find a way to stabilize a team that started the domestic championship very well but failed to score in either match against Hapoel in the previous European round.

Tickets for this match are in demand among supporters.

What is at stake for both teams

The winner of this two-legged tie will secure a place in the league phase of the Europa League. The first match will be played in Belgrade, while the return leg at Doosan Arena will take place on August 27 at 19:00. Because of this schedule, Crvena Zvezda have a clear interest in building an advantage before travelling to the Czech Republic, while Viktoria Plzeň can be satisfied with any result that leaves them with a realistic chance of deciding qualification in front of their own supporters.

The tie has another interesting dimension: according to Viktoria's data, the clubs have not met in recent history. There is no recent head-to-head sample from which conclusions could be drawn about how their ideas match up, so preparations will focus more on current habits, personnel and reactions under pressure.

For Crvena Zvezda, an additional burden comes from the way they finished the previous European round. Against Hapoel, the team created situations through Osman Bukari, Bruno Duarte, Mirko Ivanić, Aleksandar Katai and Marko Arnautović, but could not find a goal. Riera therefore does not inherit a problem involving a lack of attacking names, but rather the question of how to connect them into an effective system in a very short period of time.

Crvena Zvezda's form: strong domestic league, European setback

In the domestic championship, Crvena Zvezda collected all 9 points from their first three matches, with a goal difference of +9. During that run, they defeated Mačva 5:0, Vojvodina 3:1 and Novi Pazar 2:0. Between those league matches, they eliminated Larne with two convincing victories, but then stumbled against Hapoel Beer Sheva.

The last five competitive results before this match clearly show the contrast between the domestic and European picture:

• Crvena Zvezda - Vojvodina 3:1
• Crvena Zvezda - Larne 5:0
• Hapoel Beer Sheva - Crvena Zvezda 1:0
• Crvena Zvezda - Novi Pazar 2:0
• Crvena Zvezda - Hapoel Beer Sheva 0:2

The biggest question is not whether Crvena Zvezda can create pressure, but how quickly the new coach will organize the relationships in midfield and the back line. In the most recent European match, Mateus, Seol, Derrick Luckassen, Strahinja Eraković, Nair Tiknizyan, Rade Krunić, Timi Max Elšnik, Osman Bukari, Vasilije Kostov, Bruno Duarte and Cedric Badolo Enem started. Marko Arnautović, Mirko Ivanić, Aleksandar Katai and other attacking players also came on during the match.

Mohamed Abu Fani was sent off in the closing stages of that match, and according to post-match reports, his suspension carries over to the next European club appearance. This narrows Riera's options in midfield precisely in a match in which the home side will probably want to control possession and prevent the visitors from breaking quickly in transition.

Viktoria Plzeň: plenty of goals, but also too many open matches

Viktoria Plzeň did not start the domestic championship according to plan. After the first three rounds, they had 2 points and were in 12th place, with 7 goals scored and 9 conceded. That record says enough about the start of the season: Martin Hyský's team can create chances and score, but their matches too often remain open.

Their three league results before the trip to Belgrade were:

• Viktoria Plzeň - Slovan Liberec 1:3
• Viktoria Plzeň - Zbrojovka Brno 1:1
• Teplice - Viktoria Plzeň 5:5

The 5:5 draw in Teplice is particularly useful for assessing what Viktoria can offer. Plzeň took a big lead very early, with Patrik Hrošovský, Christophe Kabongo, Sampson Dweh and Matěj Vydra scoring, but the home side came back. Denis Višinský later scored to make it 5:5. Such a match shows both quality in attacking runs and problems when the distances between the lines become too large.

Captain Matěj Vydra remains one of the most recognizable names in attack. Patrik Hrošovský brings experience and composure in midfield, Kabongo has already found the net in the league, while Dweh can be important both in defence and from set pieces. Hyský has enough players for different attacking combinations, but after conceding 9 goals in three league rounds, better control of space without the ball must be the priority.

The club announced in June that Václav Jemelka and Jan Paluska were in the process of recovering from injuries. Since a player's status can change immediately before the match, their final availability should be checked after the final training sessions and squad announcement. Both teams also have domestic league obligations before the European match, so the final squad situation can still change.

A tactical battle under special circumstances

The biggest unknown is Crvena Zvezda. A change of coach just a few days before the first play-off match makes an accurate formation prediction difficult. Riera can retain most of the existing structure and change only the details, or immediately try to introduce a different organization in possession. In either case, the key will be how Krunić and Elšnik are connected with the attacking players and how high the full-backs will push forward.

Bukari brings speed in open space, Ivanić can link the lines, Katai is dangerous when he receives the ball closer to the penalty area, while Arnautović provides a completely different reference point at the top of the attack. If the home side manage to move the game onto Viktoria's half early, the visiting defence will be exposed to long phases of defending and set pieces in front of their own goal.

On the other hand, Viktoria have a reason not to accept a completely closed match. Hrošovský can accelerate the first phase of progression, Vydra attacks the space behind the defence, while Kabongo and Višinský have already shown that they can finish moves. The problem arises if the visitors lose the ball with too many players ahead of it. That is precisely when Crvena Zvezda can exploit Bukari's speed or look for their forwards more directly.

For Martin Hyský, one of the main tasks could therefore be to slow down the home side's initial surge. If Viktoria get through the opening phase without losing a large number of balls around their own penalty area, they can move the match into a calmer rhythm and force Crvena Zvezda to build their attacks patiently.

Rajko Mitić Stadium and the atmosphere

Rajko Mitić Stadium is located in the southern part of Belgrade and is often called Marakana. In information for its supporters, Viktoria Plzeň states that the stadium has a capacity of slightly more than 55,000 spectators.

A good indication of interest is Crvena Zvezda's previous European match at the same venue: 40,883 spectators attended the game against Hapoel Beer Sheva. Although the result was not favourable for the home side, the attendance shows the level of interest that can accompany a match directly deciding entry into the league phase.

For visiting supporters, it is also important that Viktoria announced an organized distribution of tickets for their section in Belgrade. Seats in the stands are disappearing quickly.

Getting to the stadium and moving around Belgrade

The stadium is located at Ljutice Bogdana 1a. For visitors arriving from other countries, the most important thing is to allow for traffic changes and congestion around the stadium before kick-off. The Autokomanda area is one of the well-known access points toward the stadium district, while from the wider centre of Belgrade it is possible to combine public transport and walking.

A practical way to plan the arrival is:

• head toward the stadium earlier than for an ordinary league match because of the expected larger influx of spectators and checks at the entrances
• for public transport, follow current city information on matchday because temporary changes are possible
• if arriving by car, do not count on parking immediately next to the stadium because space is limited and the traffic regime may be changed
• check the exact entrance and sector on the ticket before arriving in the stadium area in order to avoid unnecessary walking around the complex
• after the match, expect a slower departure from the stadium area because of the large number of people and possible traffic restrictions

The verified information available before the match does not specify the exact time at which the gates will open. It is therefore practical to plan an earlier arrival and check the final organizational information on the day of the match.

Belgrade is accessible through international air, road and rail connections. Visitors staying in the city before or after the match have a wide choice of accommodation and hospitality venues in the central city districts, while the stadium area is primarily a sports and residential zone.

What supporters should watch on the pitch

The first topic will be Crvena Zvezda's reaction after the coaching change. If the home side start aggressively, it will be important to see whether the team remains compact behind the attack and whether it can prevent counterattacks. In a very short period, Riera will have to decide how many of the existing automatisms he wants to retain and where he wants to intervene immediately.

The second topic is Viktoria's defence. Nine goals conceded in the first three league rounds are a warning before an away match against a team with plenty of individual quality in the final third. It will be particularly important to see how the visitors close down the flanks and the space between midfield and the centre-backs when Ivanić, Katai or other home attacking players move toward the penalty area.

The third topic is set pieces. Dweh has already scored from a set piece for Viktoria, while Crvena Zvezda have several physically strong players in their squad who can attack crosses. In a match in which neither team may want to open up too much space too early, one corner or free kick can change the entire plan.

The fourth topic is managing the two-legged tie. The home side will want an advantage before travelling to Plzeň, but every excessive risk opens space for the visitors' transition. Viktoria know that they will have the return leg on their own ground, but a completely passive approach in Belgrade could expose them to long spells of pressure.

It is worth securing tickets in good time.

Sources:
- Crvena zvezda - match schedule, results, league performance, squad and report from the match against Hapoel Beer Sheva
- Crvena zvezda - announcement of Albert Riera's appointment as the new coach
- FC Viktoria Plzeň - information about the two-legged tie, the date and time of the return leg, the stadium and the first head-to-head meeting in recent history
- FC Viktoria Plzeň - reports against Slovan Liberec, Zbrojovka Brno and Teplice, as well as information about the players and the start of the season
- Chance Liga - current table after three rounds and Viktoria Plzeň's record
- Sportissimo - information about Mohamed Abu Fani's suspension following the red card