Celtic can exploit Red Star Belgrade’s defensive vulnerabilities

Celtic begin their Europa League campaign tonight with a trip into one of the most intimidating arenas in European football…

The Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade, known as the “Marakana” for its ear-splitting atmosphere, awaits Brendan Rodgers’ side as they take on Red Star Belgrade, the perennial Serbian champions and one of the continent’s most formidable home teams.

This is more than a meeting of clubs, it is also perhaps a collision of two historic institutions who share striking parallels in history, ambition and footballing culture.

Both clubs are former European champions, Celtic having conquered Europe in 1967 under Jock Stein, Red Star lifting the trophy in 1991 after overcoming Marseille on penalties in Bari. Both have had sustained domestic dominance, alongside carrying the weight of expectation from vast, passionate fanbases that demand silverware every season. And both, in the modern era, find themselves seeking to reassert their continental pedigree through deep runs in European competition.

Red Star come into this tie riding a wave of highly impressive domestic success. Last season, Vladan Milojević’s side won an eighth consecutive Serbian SuperLiga title, rewriting the record books in the process. They finished a staggering 27 points clear of second place, the largest winning margin in Europe, and became the only team on the continent to break the 100-point barrier.

Their win rate of 86.5 per cent was the best in Europe’s top divisions, while their attack scored an incredible 123 goals in 37 matches, an impressive average of 3.32 per game. They lost only once all season and completed the domestic double by winning the Serbian Cup.

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