Crvena Zvezda vs Hapoel Beer Sheva Preview: Second Leg Prediction & Team News

The stakes could hardly be higher in Belgrade on Tuesday evening as Betiball previews the second leg of this UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie. Crvena Zvezda vs Hapoel Beer Sheva is a genuine elimination clash: the Red and Whites return to the Rajko Mitić Stadium trailing 1-0 from the first leg played on neutral ground in Szombathely, Hungary, meaning Dejan Stanković's side must reverse the deficit in front of their own supporters or face an early European exit. With a place in the Champions League playoff round — and the financial rewards that come with it — on the line, the pressure on the Serbian champions is enormous.

Match Overview

The second leg kicks off at the Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, at 20:00 CET. Red Star's famous Marakana ground, with a capacity of over 51,000, will be a cauldron of noise as the home faithful demand a comeback.

The context is stark. Hapoel Beer Sheva won the first leg 1-0 at a neutral venue in Hungary, leaving Red Star needing to score at least once without reply to force extra time, or win by two or more goals to go through in 90 minutes. Whoever advances from this tie will face either Celje or Ararat-Armenia in the playoff round.

The competition context adds further weight. Crvena Zvezda last reached the Champions League group stage during the 2024/25 campaign, finishing 29th out of 36 in the first season of the revamped format. Another crack at the competition's riches is very much the goal this summer. For Hapoel, this is their first return to the Champions League qualifiers since the 2018/19 campaign, and the Israelis have never reached the group stage of the competition proper.

Check the Crvena Zvezda vs Hapoel Beer Sheva predictions page for live odds and the latest community picks on this tie.

Crvena Zvezda Form & Recent Results

Red Star enter this tie on the back of an extraordinary early-season scoring run. The Red and Whites played four competitive matches in July and scored as many as 17 goals. That kind of output against any calibre of opponent signals a team firing on all cylinders going forward.

Their path to this round was demolition work. Crvena Zvezda claimed a 9-0 aggregate victory over Northern Irish side Larne in the second qualifying round, including a 5-0 home win in the second leg at Stadion Rajko Mitić. Stanković's side dominated possession with 78% of the ball and registered 14 shots on target in that game, with Marko Arnautović scoring twice.

The domestic form is equally positive. Red Star defeated Novi Pazar 2-0 in the fourth round of the Serbian Super League, with Aleksandar Katai and Jay Enem among the scorers for Stanković's team. The only blemish on their recent record is the first-leg defeat in this very tie.

Key statistical context across their broader campaign:

• In the SuperLiga, Red Star's form has been excellent overall with 24 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses.
• They carry a 73% Over 2.5 goals ratio in SuperLiga fixtures this cycle.
• Crvena Zvezda have scored in every home competitive match of their last six, including the 5-0 win over Larne and 2-0 against Novi Pazar.
• Aleksandar Katai finished as the league's best player and top scorer last season with 24 goals.

Hapoel Beer Sheva Form & Recent Results

The Israelis arrive in Belgrade in a complicated position: they hold a precious advantage from the first leg, but their broader form heading into this tie is uneven at best. Their qualifying campaign has required resilience rather than dominance.

Hapoel did well to reach this round, but they did not make it easy for themselves. They lost the first leg against Vikingur Reykjavik 2-1, then had to win 2-0 in the return match to go through 3-2 on aggregate. That kind of mentality, however, does show an ability to perform under elimination pressure.

The broader recent record paints a tougher picture:

• May 26: Israeli Cup final — 1-2 loss vs Maccabi Tel Aviv
• July 16: Israeli Super Cup — 1-3 loss vs Maccabi Tel Aviv
• July 21: UCL qualifying — 2-1 loss at Vikingur Reykjavik
• July 29: UCL qualifying — 2-0 win vs Vikingur Reykjavik
• August 4: UCL qualifying — 1-0 win vs Crvena Zvezda (first leg)

Three losses in five competitive matches before the first-leg win underline that Hapoel have not been in commanding form. Hapoel kept a clean sheet in the first leg but conceded in three of their previous four competitive games, notably the 2-1 loss at Vikingur Reykjavik. Defending a one-goal lead away at a cauldron like the Marakana will be a completely different challenge from anything they have faced so far this summer.

Team News & Possible Lineups

Crvena Zvezda

Dejan Stanković has a settled core and will not change his approach significantly from the first leg. Stanković is likely to use Austrian forward Marko Arnautović at the tip of his 4-3-2-1 (or 4-2-3-1) system, after Arnautović scored a brace against Larne. Summer signing Osman Bukari also scored against the Irish outfit and appears set for another starting role.

The first-leg lineup gives a strong pointer to what Stanković will go with again, though he may push for more attacking intent given the need to score:

Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Matheus (GK); Young-Woo Seol, Derrick Luckassen, Strahinja Eraković, Nair Tiknizyan; Rade Krunić, Mohammad Abu Fani; Osman Bukari, Vasilije Kostov, Mirko Ivanić; Bruno Duarte.

Arnautović is another attacking option. Katai and Enem, both scorers against Novi Pazar, also provide genuine competition for places in the final third. No significant injury absences have been reported publicly for the hosts ahead of this second leg.

Hapoel Beer Sheva

Hapoel manager Ran Kozuch was missing defender Djobril Diop, who was struggling with a thigh injury ahead of the first leg. The 27-year-old was only expected to miss a week, which means he could return for the second leg. His availability would shore up a back line that will be tested heavily.

The first-leg lineup is the clearest guide to Kozuch's selection:

Expected XI (4-3-3): Ofir Marciano (GK); Guy Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, Itay Rotman, Matan Baltaxa; Niv Yehoshua, Lucas Ventura, Eliel Peretz; Javon East, Igor Zlatanovic, Zahi Ahmed.

Tactically, Kozuch will almost certainly instruct his team to press deep and absorb pressure, relying on transitions to threaten on the counter. Holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg, a 0-0 draw in Belgrade sends them through, which shapes their defensive game plan completely.

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Prediction

The numbers strongly favor Red Star at home. Crvena Zvezda have scored in every home competitive match of their last six, and the Marakana crowd will generate an atmosphere that few visiting sides can handle. The first leg was played on a true neutral surface with no crowd pressure; this second leg is a completely different environment. Aggregate pressure and heavy home advantage point to the hosts covering the deficit without needing excessive goals.

Tactically, the tie hinges on one question: can Hapoel replicate their defensive discipline on a night when Red Star will commit bodies forward from the first whistle? Hapoel have struggled in recent weeks, recording just one win in their last five matches while conceding 10 goals — a vulnerability that becomes acute when facing an attack averaging 2.6 goals per game in their last five. Expect Stanković to use Arnautović as a physical aerial presence with Bukari and Katai providing width and pace. Hapoel will sit deep in a low block and look to nick a counter-attack goal that would put the tie beyond doubt, but their transition quality has not been reliable this summer.

For more analysis on today's European fixtures, browse today's football predictions on Betiball.

The most likely outcome is a Red Star win on the night, by a margin of two goals, which sends them through 2-1 on aggregate. Hapoel's deep defensive block means the scoreline stays tight rather than opening up into a cricket score, and the Israelis retain a realistic threat on the break. A Red Star victory that falls short — a single-goal win — sets up a nervy extra time. Betiball's read: Crvena Zvezda to win this 2-0, advancing 2-1 on aggregate.