Red Star Belgrade will host Hapoel Be'er Sheva on Tuesday at 8 PM at Marakana in the second leg of the third qualifying round for the Champions League, aiming to overturn the 0:1 loss from the first match.
Red Star Belgrade's coach Dejan Stanković held a press conference on Monday ahead of Tuesday's return leg against Hapoel Be'er Sheva, and his message was clear: the team is ready, all players are fit, and a completely different energy from the one seen in the first match in Hungary will be needed for the comeback.
The red-and-whites will host the Israeli side on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 8 PM at the Rajko Mitić Stadium with a clear imperative: to overturn the minimal deficit from the first leg and secure a spot in the Champions League playoffs. Stanković stated at the press conference that he expects the opponent to stick to their principles but also to try to make some changes.
"Their principles will remain the same, with a lot of aggression. They will probably try to change and alter some things. To change the questions, to which we must quickly find answers. I don't believe they will deviate much from their principles and setup," Stanković said at the press conference.
Good news comes from the red-and-white dressing room. All players are available, and Stanković particularly praised the performance of player Enem, emphasizing that his form gives him an additional option in attack. However, he refused to reveal who will start the match.
"Thank God, everyone is healthy. We managed to recover. That's what we prepared for, to play every three or four days. Enem played a good match, which opens up another option for me in attack. I can't tell you who will start, but I have no doubts. I don't think about who is a starter and who isn't. For me, they are all regulars; the season is intense and long," the coach said.
When asked by journalists about pressure, Stanković responded calmly, saying it is part of the job. However, this tie carries extra weight due to the painful experience from 2022, when Red Star was stopped on their way to the Champions League by another Israeli club, Maccabi Haifa. Back then, the red-and-whites were eliminated in the playoffs after a dramatic 90th minute, when Milan Pavkov scored an own goal for a final 2:2 draw in the return leg and a 5:4 aggregate win for Maccabi.
Stanković left the club after that match, only to return in the winter of 2025. Now, against Hapoel, he has the chance to write a different script.
"The players are aware of everything; they are not kids. There are no tricks or games. We know what awaits us tomorrow," Stanković concluded.
The coach emphasized that success will require support from the stands, as well as a significantly better performance from his team compared to the first match. He said the team has managed to regain confidence over the past week and believes in a different outcome.
"I agree that every hand and every voice will be needed, but our energy will also be needed. Completely different from what it was in Hungary, in the first match. We managed to control this week as we wanted, to regain confidence. The energy must be different, and I am sure the match will be different as well," Stanković said.
