Red Star Belgrade supporters raised a banner reading 'Glory to the Victims of Operation Storm' during a Champions League qualifier, while the Spanish referee showed two yellow cards in a single incident.
The Champions League qualifier between Red Star Belgrade and Hapoel Beer Sheva, played on neutral ground in Hungary, produced two highly unusual situations. The first was a rare refereeing decision, and the second was a political message from the stands that resonated in Croatian public opinion.
At the start of the second half, the Delije fan group unfurled a banner written in Cyrillic with the message: "Glory to the victims of Operation Storm." The banner was raised on August 4, 2026, a date that coincides with the start of the 1995 military-police operation Storm, an event of direct significance to Croatia.
Around 400 fans supported the Belgrade club at the neutral venue, and due to security protocols, tickets for the away sector were not available for general sale.
In addition to the political message, the match was also marked by a rare refereeing situation. Spanish referee Jesús Gil Manzano first sent off Hapoel defender Matan Baltaxa after showing him two yellow cards in the same move. Then, due to incorrect information from an assistant, he also dismissed Nair Tiknizyan, but the VAR intervention overturned that decision and the red card was rescinded.
Former Serbian referee and refereeing analyst Dejan Santrač believes that Gil Manzano handled the match very well and that he correctly resolved both situations.
"Jesús Gil Manzano did an excellent job. He made one mistake, but he immediately corrected it with the help of VAR. That wasn't his mistake, but rather incorrect information from the assistant referee," Santrač said in his analysis for Arena Sport.
Santrač specifically commented on the sending off of Baltaxa, which sparked the most debate among viewers.
"According to the rules, a referee can show two yellow cards in the same incident if there are reasons for it. Baltaxa earned the first for unsportingly pulling an opponent with both hands, and the second for a foul that stopped a promising attack. Such situations are not common, but the decision was fully in line with the rules," Santrač explained.
Red Star Belgrade ultimately lost 1-0, and the return leg is scheduled for a week later at the Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade, where they will aim to overturn the narrow deficit and secure a place in the Champions League play-offs.
