Anticipation is building in Belgrade as FK Crvena Zvezda prepares to host Hapoel Beer Sheva on August 11, 2026, at Stadion Rajko Mit. This crucial second leg of the UEFA Champions League 3rd Qualifying Round sees the Serbian giants battling for their continental future. Having suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat on neutral ground at Haladás Sportkomplexum just a week prior, Crvena Zvezda aims to overturn the deficit at home, while the Israeli side arrives with a slender advantage, dreaming of a spot in the group stages.
Season context
FK Crvena Zvezda’s qualifying campaign has so far showcased a formidable attacking prowess. Across three matches, the Serbian squad has netted an impressive nine goals while conceding only one, securing two victories and one loss. Their journey includes a dominant 5-0 home win and a commanding 4-0 away triumph, highlighting a prolific offense averaging 3.0 goals per game and a nearly impenetrable defense allowing just 0.3 goals per match. The stakes are incredibly high: securing a comeback victory is essential to continue their pursuit of the group stage.
Hapoel Beer Sheva has demonstrated a robust performance in this qualification phase, recording two wins and one loss in three outings. They have scored four goals and conceded only two. At home, the Israeli team achieved two clean sheet victories (2-0, 2-0), underscoring their ability to control matches defensively on their own turf, though their sole away fixture resulted in a 2-1 defeat. With an average of 1.3 goals scored and 0.7 conceded per game, they arrive in Belgrade with a valuable, albeit slim, lead to protect.
Recent form and momentum
Crvena Zvezda approaches this pivotal encounter with mixed recent results, marked by a “WWL” sequence: two initial victories followed by the 1-0 loss against Hapoel Beer Sheva. Despite the recent setback, their overall momentum remains impressive, particularly in defense (just one goal conceded in three matches) and dazzling in attack (nine goals scored). This capacity to oscillate between emphatic wins and a tight defeat suggests a team that is highly dominant when dictating play but potentially vulnerable in tightly contested matches.
Conversely, Hapoel Beer Sheva’s last three matches show an
