Champions League | League Stage

Jan 21, 2025 at 8pm UK

Stadion Rajko Mitic

Red Star vs PSV

Match preview

With just three points from their six games so far, the hosts have little margin for error if they are to make the play-offs for the knockout stages.

Sitting five points adrift of the handful of teams still mathematically in contention, Red Star will need to deliver on Tuesday night.

Their opponents on Tuesday are among the teams they can still catch in the standings, so a win in Belgrade would help the hosts in more ways than one.

After starting the league campaign on a four-match losing streak, which saw them lose to the likes of Inter Milan, Monaco and Barcelona, Red Star took out their frustrations on Stuttgart with a memorable 5-1 thrashing of the Bundesliga side in November.

Unfortunately for the hosts, they were unable to replicate that result in their next match as they were beaten 2-1 by Serie A outfit AC Milan.

Red Star may have struggled in Europe, but they have enjoyed a superb season domestically, sitting 17 points clear at the top of the Serbian SuperLiga.

Such is their dominance at home that the hosts have won 21 of their last 27 matches in all competitions, with their six defeats all coming in the Champions League.

They have also won 19 of their last 20 league games, outscoring their opponents by a staggering 71 goals to 12.

However, they have not been able to replicate this in the Champions League against bigger opposition, with their lone win over Stuttgart an anomaly.

Having come up against some of the toughest opposition in Europe this season, they will be more optimistic ahead of the clashes with PSV and Young Boys, who are currently 23rd and 36th in the Champions League standings respectively.

The visitors come into the game having won 21 of their last 27 league games, but PEC Zwolle were surprisingly the better side at the weekend.

The 3-1 defeat is part of a recent slump for the club, who have dropped points in three of their last four league games.

They also had to come from 3-1 down against Eerste Divisie side Excelsior in the KNVB Beker to win 5-4 in extra time, just a few days before their defeat in Zwolle.

Despite their recent struggles, PSV remain at the top of the Eredivisie table, four points clear of Ajax.

The Champions League, however, has been much tougher for the Dutch side, who failed to win any of their first three league games.

Back-to-back wins over Girona and Shakhtar Donetsk have since lifted PSV's tally to eight points, but a defeat to Brest last time out means they need a win from their trip to Belgrade.

While PSV have won seven of their 10 away games in the Dutch top flight, they are yet to win on the road in the Champions League this season, something they will be hoping to change in the Serbian capital on Tuesday.

Recent Performance

Red Star Belgrade Champions League form:LLLLWL

Red Star Belgrade form (all competitions):WWLWWW

PSV Eindhoven Champions League form:LDDWWL

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):LWWDWL

Team News

The hosts have been without Bruno Duarte through injury in the winter friendlies and he is not expected to feature in this game.

Elsewhere, Peter Olayinka (Achilles) remains a long-term absentee, while Omri Glazer is back in training after recovering from an adductor injury.

Meanwhile, the visitors are without Sergino Dest (knee), who has been out since last season, and Adamo Nagalo (shoulder), who has been out since October.

In more disappointing news for PSV coach Peter Bosz, Couhaib Driouech is also out for the game due to an ankle injury sustained in November, while Malik Tillman and Matteo Dams are suspended for the game.

Possible starting lineup

Red Star Belgrade possible starting lineup:

Gutesa; Mimovic, Djiga, Spajic, Seol; Krunic, Elsnik, Silas, Milson; Maksimovic, Ndiaye

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Ledezma, Boscagli, Flamingo, Junior; Til, Veerman, Schouten; Lang, de Jong, Bakayoko