Crvena Zvezda vs Larne: prediction & betting odds 29 July 2026

Odds overview

According to the bookmakers’ prices, a Crvena zvezda win is rated at 1.07, the draw at 9.50 and a Larne win at 37.00. To qualify for the next round, Crvena zvezda are 1.01, Larne are 15.00. This set-up is explained by the 4:0 thrashing in the first leg and the huge gulf in class between the Serbian champions and the club from Northern Ireland, who managed just one shot in 90 minutes. The market all but rules out a shock — the second leg should simply cement the Serbs’ advantage.

The 2.5-goal total is clearly tilted towards over: over is 1.25, under is 3.50. Crvena zvezda have scored 12 goals in 3 official matches at the start of the season (4:0 against Larne, 3:1 against Vojvodina and 5:0 against Macva Sabac in the league). At the same time Larne did not register a single shot on target in the first leg and are unlikely to offer much resistance to the Serbs in Belgrade, even if the hosts take their foot off the gas.

“Both teams to score — Yes” is priced at 2.55, “No” at 1.50. Bookmakers believe Larne are very unlikely to score in Belgrade, given their non-existent attacking threat in the first leg and Crvena zvezda’s total dominance. A consolation goal from the Northern Irish side is seen as the exception rather than the rule.

Betting Tip

From the first minutes Crvena zvezda will start applying heavy pressure down the flanks — in the first leg the Serbs had 27 shots, 15 of which came from areas where Larne were left without cover. The hosts will press high, forcing Larne’s defenders into mistakes when playing out from the back — the Northern Irish side have already shown they cannot cope with this level of intensity (just 31% possession and 1 shot in the first match). 

The forward runs of full-backs Seol Young-Woo and Nayair Tiknizyan will be especially dangerous — in the first leg they created six chances between them. It is precisely down the flanks that Crvena zvezda will look to break open the visitors’ defence, using Bruno Duarte and Vasilije Kostov’s movements inside to free space for the full-backs’ surging runs.

Larne will try to sit in a low block with two lines of 4–5 players, but without the option of relieving pressure via long balls (in the first leg they completed 0 accurate long passes into the final third) the Serbs will keep increasing the pressure in waves. The key duel of the match is Duarte against Ridley. The Brazilian forward has already scored twice in the first meeting and will look for space between the centre-backs, using his pace and ability to run onto passes from deep. 

Even so, Larne will not be able to close every gap: if the defence shifts towards Duarte, space will open up for Kostov’s long-range shots — he has already scored in both the first leg and the league (against Vojvodina).

Larne’s defence has never faced pressure of this intensity. In the first leg the Northern Irish side conceded four times but could have shipped more — 15 shots on target show that even if Larne had wanted to, they simply could not contain the Serbs’ attacks. In Belgrade, at the 53,000-capacity Rajko Mitic Stadium, Crvena zvezda will continue to dominate and extend their advantage to at least three goals. 

Even if the hosts ease off after going 2:0 up, Larne do not have the resources to score and cut the deficit — they managed one shot in 90 minutes in the first meeting, and that figure is unlikely to improve away from home against a more motivated opponent.