Red Star Belgrade are expected to open their UEFA Conference League account at the third time of asking when they host an Inter Club d'Escaldes side still searching for their inaugural league phase victory.
Match News and Current Form
Red Star Belgrade probably felt out of place in UEFA’s third-tier competition after nine consecutive seasons in the main draw of the Champions and Europa Leagues, but have stunningly found themselves with a winless record after two matches (D1, L1) on their Conference League debut. A slow start is perhaps not such a surprise for a club that has now failed to win their first two main draw games of any UEFA tournament for the fifth season running, but there remains cause for optimism here at home, where they have lost just two of their last nine UEFA fixtures (W4, D3 including qualifiers) and only one of their 11 (W9, D1) across all competitions this season.
Five-time Andorran league champions Inter Club d'Escaldes have so far made an unsuccessful league phase debut, losing by two goals to Mjällby (2-0 away) and Universitatea Craiova (3-1 home) to prop up the table in 35th place. They’re in a tight spot on two fronts after enduring consecutive surprise draws as favourites in Andorra’s top flight, so a heavy defeat here could be a big blow to their early season momentum. The gulf in class between the two clubs is not the only thing going against Inter here, who head to Serbia having won only one of their last ten continental away games including qualifiers (D3, L6), even despite scoring goals in each of the last nine.
Head-to-Head History
This is the inaugural H2H. Serbian clubs are unbeaten across their previous six European matches against Andorran sides, all in qualifying stages (W5, D1) and with an aggregate score of 23-1.
Hot Stats and Streaks
Eight of Red Star’s last nine competitive matches produced over 2.5 goals.
Red Star trailed at half-time in just one of their eight UEFA matches this season (HT: W4, D3).
Eight of Inter’s last nine continental losses came with a 2+ goal margin.
Only four of Inter’s last 14 competitive matches saw both teams score.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Red Star weekend hat-trick hero Bamba Dieng can’t be far from a breakthrough European goal after accumulating the most shot attempts (ten) of any player without a goal in the Conference League this season. Inter’s Borja Arellano made history last matchday by recording the first goal for an Andorran club in major European competition, with that strike the sixth of his seven club goals this season to come beyond the 70th minute.
Red Star captain Mirko Ivanić is doubtful after missing the weekend with calf discomfort, whilst Stefan Gudelj is serving a red card suspension. Inter have no known major absences.
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Betting Analysis
Red Star have made a habit of establishing big margins when they win, so this fixture should produce over 3.5 goals.
Author: Aaron Murphy