The new season has picked up where the last left off. Although their hopes of reaching the Champions League group stage for a third successive year were dashed by a narrow 3–2 aggregate defeat to Cypriot side Pafos in the playoff round, Red Star have responded in characteristic fashion. They remain unbeaten in the league, winning all seven fixtures to sit comfortably atop the SuperLiga, and their overall record across all competitions stands at ten wins, two draws and just one defeat.
Celtic arrive in Belgrade after our own European awakening last season. The 2024/25 campaign was the first under UEFA’s new Champions League ‘League Phase’ and Brendan Rodgers’ side adapted impressively, producing a string of strong performances that included a memorable 5–1 demolition of Slovan Bratislava at Celtic Park.
Over the course of eight league-phase matches Celtic recorded three wins and three draws, enough to secure a place in the knockout play-off round, the adventure ended with a 3-2 aggregate defeat in Munich, but Celtic left the competition with credibility enhanced and valuable experience banked.
Red Star’s Champions League campaign told a slightly different story. They fought through qualifying rounds and produced flashes of brilliance, including a spectacular 5–1 home victory over VfB Stuttgart, but inconsistency and defensive lapses ultimately undermined their progress.
Away from the comforts of the Marakana, they struggled to reproduce their domestic dominance, conceding soft goals and failing to convert chances. The contrast between their ferocity at home and fragility on the road was striking.
In that sense, the two clubs experienced similar European seasons. Both came into the competition as domestic champions, eager to test themselves against elite opposition. Both thrilled their home supporters with big wins under the lights. And both discovered that Europe punishes even momentary lapses in concentration, exposing defensive vulnerabilities not often seen in their home leagues.
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