Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League qualifying match.
It seems that overcoming Víkingur Gøta (4:2 on aggregate) may have represented the peak of Lincoln Red Imps’ Champions League qualifying run. The squad faces extremely limited prospects against Red Star Belgrade, even with home advantage. Red Star Belgrade approach this tie with high motivation and a clear objective of reaching the group stage of European competition for the second season running.
Lincoln Red Imps
Across the 180 minutes against Víkingur Gøta, Lincoln Red Imps registered 11 shots on target, often taking advantage of lapses in their opponents’ defence. While the squad showed enough ability to narrowly overcome a modest opponent, the level of competition in the third qualifying round is expected to rise significantly. The squad will likely adopt a 4-3-3 formation, occasionally dropping into a back five, though such tactical flexibility may not be sufficient against Red Star Belgrade.
Red Star Belgrade
The disparity in squad value between the two sides is stark — €73 million for Red Star Belgrade compared to €1.8 million for Lincoln Red Imps. Red Star Belgrade opened their SuperLiga campaign with an emphatic 4:0 victory over newly promoted Javor Ivanjica. A brace from Mirko Ivanić and a total of 4.10 xG from 30 attempts reflect the excellent form of the squad. Importantly, Timi Max Elsnik, Nemanja Radonjić, and Peter Olayinka only featured as substitutes in that match, but all three are strong contenders to start in this European fixture.
Lincoln Red Imps vs Red Star Belgrade Prediction
There is little doubt that Red Star Belgrade will create enough chances to establish a comfortable lead over Lincoln Red Imps. It is worth keeping an eye on handicap and individual Total Over markets for Red Star Belgrade — we anticipate they will score at least three goals.
