On Tuesday night, Crvena Zvezda will continue their pursuit for a spot in the Champions League group stage against Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg. The game, which starts at 21:00 CET will be played behind closed doors at Rajko Mitic stadium in Belgrade. Nemanja Radonjic scored the extra-time winner in the previous round against Trnava, voiced his displeasure over the empty seats but at the same time, he remained optimistic.
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“It’s a huge game for us. We play against a strong team in Salzburg, a team that has a clear system and loads of quality. But the key is to approach the game just like all the others – to play the way we always play and let opponents worry about adjusting to the way we play. We will do our best for our fans even though they won’t be in the stands tomorrow.”
“If a club has to be punished, that’s fine. But it’s not fair to punish the fans. Football should be played in front of people who love the game rather than in front of empty stands. But we will do the best we can and we will be professional.”
Radonjic himself is a transfer target of Olympique Marseille, so he might not even be with his teammates if they are to progress to the Champions League group stage, something Red Star Belgrade haven’t done since 1991/92.
Meanwhile, aided by Red Bull’s financial might, Salzburg have been growing exponentially, with last season’s Europa League semi-final appearance seen as just another step on the development ladder. Shkendija were no match for the Austrian champions in the last round so neither should be Crvena Zvezda.
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Crvena Zvezda – Salzburg Prediction
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Since pre-season began, the Austrian side has won all 13 games they’ve played. Over that span, Red Bull Salzburg has scored 43 goals while conceding just three. Their high press and endless energy should make life miserable for the Serbians, even in their own backyard.
If they were to qualify for the CL group stage, it would be the first time Salzburg have done so since Casino Salzburg did it back in 1994/95.
