Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5
Best odds: 4/9
Bookmaker: Unibet
Red Star Belgrade will aim to move closer to Champions League qualification when they welcome Lincoln Red Imps to the Rajko Mitic Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Serbian heavyweights hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Gibraltar, where they secured a cautious but effective win as they target a third consecutive appearance in Europe̢۪s top competition.
Red Star Belgrade
At first glance, Red Star̢۪s narrow victory in Gibraltar may seem underwhelming, especially given the clear disparity in quality between the two sides.
The Serbian champions dominated the match as expected but struggled with finishing and were further hampered by Seol Young-woo̢۪s early red card.
Vladan Milojevic̢۪s side bounced back emphatically over the weekend, routing city rivals OFK Beograd 7-1 in league action to reinforce their position at the top of the Serbian standings.
Now shifting focus back to Europe, Red Star will look to take another step toward Champions League qualification â€" a competition they’ve featured in for the past two seasons.
Though last year̢۪s campaign ended in disappointment, with six losses in the league phase, the team still managed eye-catching wins against VfB Stuttgart and Young Boys.
Team News
Red Star Belgrade will be without key South Korean full back Seol Young-woo, who is suspended after receiving a straight red card in the first leg.
Bruno Duarte, scorer of the decisive goal in Gibraltar, is expected to spearhead the attack once again, having netted 18 times in 34 appearances for the club.
Lincoln Red Imps
Lincoln Red Imps, meanwhile, will draw confidence from their spirited showing in the first leg despite the loss.
Still heavy underdogs, Juanjo Bezares and his players will aim to deliver another strong performance on the continental stage.
The Gibraltarian side have never advanced beyond the second qualifying round of the Champions League and suffered a crushing 7-0 defeat to Qarabag FK at this stage last year.
Their only appearance in a major European group stage came in 2021, when they reached the Europa Conference League.
In all fairness, Red Star may not be a team at the top of the game, not for a long while, but facing the 1991 European Cup winners will remain a notable moment in Red Imps’ history, regardless of its outcome.
Team News
Lincoln Red Imps are unlikely to make significant changes after their promising performance in the first leg.
However, a possible adjustment could see Juanje come into the starting XI in place of Victor Villacanas in attack.
Tjay De Barr, the club̢۪s top scorer in European competition in recent seasons, is expected to lead the line once more.
Conclusion
Lincoln Red Imps put in a commendable display in the first leg, but replicating that performance away from home will be a much tougher challenge.
Red Star Belgrade have dismantled their last two league opponents, and the Serbian side should be able to step up a gear and deliver a dominant showing in this second leg.
Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5
Best odds: 4/9
Bookmaker: Unibet