Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 7/4
Bookmaker: BetUS
With a coveted place in the Europa League round of 16 at stake, Red Star Belgrade welcome Lille to the Rajko Mitić Stadium on Thursday night for the decisive second leg of their playoff tie.
The Serbian champions carry a 1–0 advantage after last week’s first meeting in France and now return home with the opportunity to complete the task in front of a hostile Belgrade crowd.
Red Star Belgrade
Another disciplined defensive display has left Red Star on the verge of reaching the last 16 of this competition for the first time since 2022. Dejan Stanković’s second tenure has begun in near‑perfect fashion: excluding friendlies, he is yet to taste defeat, winning all six competitive matches since taking charge again.
His side have not conceded in their last three matches across all competitions and have produced a remarkable 19 goals in six outings this month alone. Red Star’s home form adds further encouragement—they are unbeaten in their last four non‑friendly fixtures at the Rajko Mitić and have not lost a Europa League home match this decade beyond the group stage.
In 2022, they defeated Rangers 2–1 in Belgrade in the round of 16, though they lost the tie 4–2 on aggregate. However, the club’s broader record against French opposition remains a hurdle: Red Star have not won a home match versus a French club in Europe since a 2–1 success against Metz in 1998, back when the competition was known as the UEFA Cup.
Still, they enter this second leg brimming with confidence after Franklin Tebo Uchenna’s first‑half stoppage‑time goal in France earned them a crucial advantage, while goalkeeper Matheus Magalhães preserved the lead by saving both shots on target he faced.
Team News
Red Star will be without winger Vladimir Lučić, who received a booking last Thursday that triggers suspension for this leg. Tebo Uchenna, the match‑winner in Lille, should start again, while Magalhães anchors a defence that has not conceded in three consecutive games.
Lille
Lille must conjure a response after a difficult home outing in the first leg placed them at a disadvantage heading to Belgrade. Their hopes of reaching the last 16 of this tournament for the first time since 2010 hinge on overturning the one‑goal deficit.
Bruno Génésio’s men travel to Serbia with some renewed positivity after claiming a 1–0 victory over Angers in Ligue 1 last weekend—their first away league win of 2026. A win on Thursday would snap a three‑match losing run in away fixtures in this competition and mark their first Europa League road triumph since their 1–0 victory at Roma last October.
However, Lille’s recent knockout record is concerning. They have lost their last two away matches at this stage in European competition, and they have never progressed in a knockout tie beyond the group phase when failing to win the first leg—an unwanted streak stretching back to the turn of the century.
One small glimmer of hope lies in past Serbian travels: on their last two‑legged visit to Serbia, Lille claimed a 2–0 away win over Sloboda Užice in the 2009 Europa League qualifiers, advancing 4–0 on aggregate. Replicating that performance against a surging Red Star side is, however, a far more difficult proposition.
Team News
Lille remain hampered by injuries. Alexsandro is doubtful due to a calf complaint, while Thomas Meunier continues to manage a hamstring issue. Osame Sahraoui is also a doubt with a groin problem, and Hamza Igamane is ruled out after suffering a cruciate ligament tear.
Ethan Mbappé Lottin is unlikely to feature owing to a leg injury, Ousmane Touré is still recovering from his own cruciate ligament issue, and Marc‑Aurèle Caillard’s elbow problem leaves his availability uncertain.
Conclusion
Although Lille trail by just one goal, the overall picture does not favour the French visitors. Red Star have been in excellent form under Stanković, particularly at home, where their defensive organisation and efficiency in front of goal have combined to great effect.
Lille, meanwhile, have lacked conviction away from home and have struggled to find attacking fluency in recent European knockout ties. While a turnaround is not impossible, the balance of form, confidence and momentum suggests Red Star are well‑placed to finish the job in Belgrade and book their place in the Europa League round of 16.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 7/4
Bookmaker: BetUS
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