Crvena zvezda – Ferencvaros : Preview & Prediction
Ahead of their first meeting since 1975/75, Red Star and Ferencvaros remain the top champions of their respective domestic leagues (33 titles apiece), but the similarities end there as they prepare to face each other in Group H on two consecutive occasions. Red Star are bottom of the group after narrow defeats in the first two rounds and have now won just one of their last six matches (E2, P3) in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) group stage.
If they are to have any chance of getting into the UEL knockout phase for the third year in a row, then they need to translate their domestic form to Europe, having won three consecutive matches in the Serbian Super League after a defeat on matchday two. There is no better place than at home to start that recovery and complement their domestic lead, as Red Star have lost just two of their last 15 home games in European competition (G9, E4), including qualifying.
Ferencvaros are coming off a domestic defeat at the weekend that snapped a run of seven consecutive wins in all competitions, but they are still top of the Hungarian league and hold a 100 percent record in the UEL group stage (G2). That bodes well for their chances of breaking a long wait, having not reached the knockout stage of a European competition since 1974/75.
A 1-0 win at home to Monaco on matchday two ended Ferencvaros’ run of six successive away defeats in the group stage of a UEFA competition, marking their best away result at European level in many years. Still living in the shadow of their previous great teams, especially from the 1960s, they are now looking to string together back-to-back away UEL wins in a single campaign – including qualifying stages – to secure their presence in the knockout phase.
Players to watch: Mirko Ivanić scored a brace for Red Star at the weekend and his last two UEL goals have come in wins and opened the scoring. Meanwhile, Bálint Vécsei has scored or assisted Ferencvaros’ first goal in his last two EUL games.
Key stat: Nine of Ferencvaros’ last ten away matches in the UEL, including qualifying rounds, have recorded less than 2.5 goals total.
Crvena zvezda – Ferencvaros : Betting Tips
OVER 2.5 GOALS Odds: 2.25
