Barcelona will aim to secure their third consecutive victory in the Champions League as they journey to Serbia to take on Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night.
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The Catalan powerhouses, already on a hot streak, are looking to claim their third straight away win without conceding across all competitions. Meanwhile, Red Star enters the encounter with a challenging record, having won just one of their last six home games in the Champions League.
Match Preview
Barcelona’s season so far has been near impeccable, marred only by two minor setbacks: a narrow 2-1 defeat to Monaco in the Champions League and a 4-2 loss to Osasuna in La Liga. Other than these blips, Hansi Flick’s squad has triumphed in 13 fixtures this season, entering Wednesday’s showdown with six consecutive wins and an impressive tally of 24 goals.
The Catalan giants’ recent Champions League exploits included a commanding 5-0 victory over Young Boys followed by a 4-1 rout of Bayern Munich, elevating them to 10th place in the 36-team table and placing them just three points off the top spot.
On the domestic stage, Barcelona shined with a 4-0 El Clasico demolition of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu and a 3-1 victory over Espanyol, inspired by Dani Olmo’s double and Raphinha’s strike. Firmly at the summit of La Liga with a nine-point cushion, their attention now shifts back to Europe for their first duel with Red Star since a 4-2 aggregate win in 1996 during their UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup run.
Barcelona’s attacking prowess in Europe is highlighted by their recent nine-goal haul from matches against Young Boys and Bayern. Achieving four or more goals in three straight European games would be a feat not seen since their 1959-60 campaign against AC Milan and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Red Star Belgrade’s Struggles Red Star’s 2024-25 Champions League campaign has been tumultuous. They stand among nine teams yet to claim victory and share the dubious distinction of conceding 11 goals, tied with Slovan Bratislava and Dinamo Zagreb. Their opening 2-1 loss to Benfica was followed by a 4-0 drubbing by Inter Milan and a crushing 5-1 defeat at Monaco. Red Star has lost 81% of their Champions League matches, a troubling ratio for any team with 20 or more appearances.
Sitting in 33rd place in the league’s expansive 36-team lineup, Red Star remains just three points shy of a last-16 playoff spot, but their upcoming schedule against Barcelona, Stuttgart, and AC Milan poses formidable challenges. Domestically, however, their form contrasts sharply; they have claimed 12 wins and a draw from 13 matches in the Serbian SuperLiga, boasting 43 goals scored and only eight conceded. A recent 3-0 triumph over Vojvodina and a 7-0 Serbian Cup rout of Tekstilac Odzaci reflect their local dominance.
Historically, Red Star has only won two of nine European encounters with Barcelona, with victories dating back to the 1960s in the Fairs Cup. To avoid equaling Benfica’s record of eight consecutive Champions League losses, they’ll need an extraordinary performance on Wednesday.
Team News and Lineups Red Star will be without winger Peter Olayinka (Achilles) and Nemanja Radonjic, who limped off eight minutes into their last match. The statuses of long-absent goalkeeper Omri Glazer and defender Ognjen Mimovic are uncertain. Forward Cherif Ndiaye, the team’s top scorer with 10 goals, is set to spearhead the attack with Bruno Duarte, while Rade Krunic and Andrija Maksimovic bolster the midfield.
Barcelona’s injury list includes Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal (both knee), Ronald Araujo, Ferran Torres (both hamstring), Eric Garcia (muscle), and Andreas Christensen (Achilles). Flick may opt to reintroduce Jules Kounde at right-back, with Gavi and Frenkie de Jong competing for central midfield slots. Raphinha, prolific with 11 goals and nine assists this season, is expected to partner Robert Lewandowski and young talent Lamine Yamal up front.
Predicted Lineups Red Star Belgrade: Ilic; Young-woo, Spajic, Djiga; Silas, Krunic, Elsnik, Maksimovic, Rodic; Duarte, Ndiaye.
Barcelona: Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Despite fond memories of a famous 2-0 victory over Liverpool exactly six years ago, Red Star will face a formidable challenge in a Barcelona side teeming with form and confidence. A convincing victory for the visitors seems likely.
