Topic: Red Star Belgrade (A) - 06/11/18

[Thomas]

How is everyone getting on booking transport?

I am waiting on day trip details to be released.

Also only got 3 aways on my card which I managed to get last season so may be a struggle?

Hopefully they do a proof of travel requirement as they did with Moscow.

[Paullfc95]

Definitely won't be proof of travel

[Luke 17]

Flying to Budapest then driving, if anyone else is flying somewere outside of Serbia make sure you check car rental cross border restrictions as I have had to get a quote for ours.

[carl123uk]

Yeah this will sell out and be full over there. Loads asking for spares for this already

[Barry Banana]

Yeah this will sell out and be full over there. Loads asking for spares for this already

I got the opposite impression. The prices on many routes have hardly budged since the draw.

[jizzspunk]

Heathrow to Belgrade...piece of piss...booked on draw day..

[carl123uk]

You can still do direct for £250. I imagine cheaper if you shop about. Most are coming in around £120-£150 if you have a stop off somewhere for a night

[kesey]

Flying to Budapest then driving, if anyone else is flying somewere outside of Serbia make sure you check car rental cross border restrictions as I have had to get a quote for ours.

Ey up.

Are you on the Saturday night flight from Speke ?

Iam looking into training it to Timisoara in Romania then training it to Belgrade. I fly back on the Thursday. If you have space mate PM us. Ta.

[kesey]

Not sure if I'll be staying in Budapest til the Monday as its one amazing city .

[Shanklygates]

Bit stuck for leave but I quite fancy this. May have to pay over the odds and go on a day trip IF there is one! Given how often TC used to cancel theirs, I am never confident now with anyone!

[Luke 17]

Ey up.

Are you on the Saturday night flight from Speke ?

Iam looking into training it to Timisoara in Romania then training it to Belgrade. I fly back on the Thursday. If you have space mate PM us. Ta.

No mate were on the Manchester early morning flight on the Tuesday... then back Thursday morning. Have you looked at the train into Belgrade? I priced it for the 5 of us and it came out just under 20 euros to Subotica, then Subotica to Belgrade if you can get a bus/train from there.

[Shanklygates]

Copied from the general Euro thread as it is a useful post:

Good evening RAWK members. This is my first post on RAWK, and having read through the first 36 pages of the thread, I felt a need to register to provide some background to our club over the next 3 months. Congratulations on making the Champions League group stage, even though given where your club finds itself, it's a bit of a formality. I have great respect for your club's history and everything you've been through over the last 20 years. You've remained true to your core, and this is what has made me respect Liverpool even more in the modern times of rich oligarchs. I commend some of you for recognizing our history and even though we've not had the best of times in the last 20 years, showing your respect is a welcome sight compared to many modern football fans. Before I give some background to the club and where we find ourselves currently, I also wanted to guide you to the site below. It's the official Red Star Belgrade club website, and for those travelling, you'll find an English version of the website with excellent information in regards to the club's history, current season, and Champions League ticket information, even though you'll probably be going through the official club channels.

Link - http://www.crvenazvezdafk.com/en

Here are some responses to the past 35 pages. Apologies if I've missed anyone. I plan to give a more thorough background in the next couple of days.

1. In regards to the fans -

This is where our strength comes from. There is no doubting that Liverpool is light years ahead in quality of almost any other team in the world, but at the Marakana, many great sides have fallen or drawn. Even though the financial disparity has made this more difficult over the past 20 years, the listing of some teams that have drawn or lost in Belgrade since 2000 include -

2000 - Dynamo Kyiv
2001 - Martin O'Neill's Leicester City, Celta Vigo
2002 - Bayer Leverkusen (year they made the Champions League final with Michael Ballack)
2003 - SS Lazio, Chievo Verona
2004 - PSV Eindhoven (year they made the UCL semi-final with Van Bommel under Guus Hiddink)
2005 - AS Roma, SC Braga
2007 - Rangers (year they made the UEFA Cup final under Walter Smith)
2009 - Slavia Prague
2012 - Bordeaux
2016 - Sassuolo
2017 - AC Sparta Prague, Krasnodar, FC Cologne, CSKA Moscow
2018 - Red Bull Salzburg

The intensity will be quite high, however nothing as horrible as people might believe. The fans will try and create an atmosphere, ones that the Liverpool fans will remember. The TIFO culture is quite strong so expect a crazy choreo however no flares given this has been an issue and UEFA has banned flares at European matches. If you wish to see a proper old school TIFO derby check out the Zvezda-Partizan rivalry if you ever get a chance.

Typically, most Red Star fans are pretty hospitable, at the same time, as in any other European city stupidity might not go unpunished. As long as the Liverpool fans behave (and I echo this for ours in Liverpool as well) then I really don't see many issues. We faced Arsenal last year in the Europa League and I'm sure many of their fans had similar concerns, but this was their response. The first two are ArsenalFan TV, the first vid is video log, the second a fan's reaction after the game. The last video (a tad too long  ) is a compilation of our fans during the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNVSEcrGyiw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ZjduhMVy8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x7b0p_9tCg

I imagine so as well. There's quite a solid away end that should fit many Liverpool fans in the southwest part of the stadium. Arsenal last year filled it about to 60%-70% capacity.

The ban was lifted by UEFA so all of our home games will be played in front of fans. See article below which was originally posted by delTrotter.

https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/uefa-clears-red-star-fans-to-attend-champions-league-return-083018

The stage of hooliganism is a bit overblown by the media, the same media that noted the Russian World Cup would be a travesty, and many who traveled there considered it one of the best World Cups in a long time. The 'hooliganism' only really explodes when Zvezda play Partizan. Outside of that, I would say 99% of games are as safe as any games around the world, if not safer given the average crowds are not that large. As long as fans behave and don't act as sometimes people do when drunk, then it should be fine. See the Arsenal vLog above.

To provide some perspective, we went through some massive lows over the past ten years, approximately from 2007 to June 2017. In 2007 we were a minute away from beating Bayern Munich at home, and then the club went into financial distress and we couldn't muster a league championship in about 6, 7 seasons. In 2014 we finally captured the league title and looked forward to the European Champions Cup qualifiers, however UEFA banned us for a year due to financial fair play infringement which was served cold after we had a great season. Last June was the first time we made the European group stage (UCL or UEL) in a decade, and we became the first team I believe to go through all four rounds of qualifying to make the group stage. We then went onto finish second to Arsenal where we made the Europa League round of 32 to be knocked out 1-0 on aggregate by CSKA Moscow after a 0-0 in Belgrade, a tie that for me we edged. The reason I provide this backdrop is because of the pressure on the players in Europe from last season through this season.

The pressure the players faced when they were 10 minutes away from knocking out Krasnodar last fall was huge, as in they'd be the first Red Star squad to make Europe in 10 years, and it was the same in Salzburg this past week. We had not made the UEFA Champions League group stage ever, and our last time participating in Europe's elite competition was in 1990 when we won it, then 1991 when we lost in what was practically a semi-final against Mancini's Sampdoria. Thus, our first half performance in Salzburg was one in which I think players started to think about the goal in front of them and what it would all mean. In Belgrade, we tied them 0-0 and in the last 20 minutes should have scored but didn't have luck on our side. What I'm ultimately saying is that the occasion got to the players a bit because they started realizing they'd be the first Zvezda side in the Champions League 27 years. To describe the emotion we went through that night is quite hard to put into words. I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about, the type of feeling that does not escape you wherever you go, whomever you're with for hours, days, maybe weeks.

As such, the players might have played with a bit more defensive aggression in the second leg, but that did not stop them from exhibiting our quality at home, and in my mind that's where the real danger lies for PSG, Napoli and Liverpool because the atmosphere will be something different. Liverpool and Napoli might be a little bit less surprised given the fan culture, but I'm pretty sure PSG will be.

2. In regards to the football and our team -

Given our history and our fans you can expect a charged up team at home that given our limitations will play on the counter. We're really good at countering (not at the level your front and midfield six are obviously) but we've brought in some solid players over the last 3 days and I expect us to be up for it. Our coach, who came two seasons ago, has transformed and modernized the way we play. It is due to him that we have been revived and his coaching staff is notorious for picking apart the opposition tactically. That is how we've beaten sides that financially and on paper should have beaten us comfortably over the course of the last two seasons including Sparta Prague, Krasnodar and Red Bull Salzburg, the team that made the Europa League semi last season. This Salzburg side should be noted did knock out Real Sociedad, SS Lazio and Borussia Dortmund last season. Overall, away from home, we'll probably be a bit more defensive any any points we can win away will be seen as a huge bonus.

I'll cover this in more detail in a future post but we're very rigid and for our standards hard to break down. The coach has instilled a very defensive, counter attacking mentality in European games over the past two seasons, and in most of our games (outside of Salzburg away) we haven't really conceded much. We typically play a 4-2-3-1 with creative wingers and an excellent target man with an attacking midfielder in behind that has room to operate on either flank. In central midfield we have a box to box midfielder and one defensive midfielder who tracks and picks apart many opposition attacks. Our right central back and right full back are huge Red Star fans and as such will give it their all. If anything, the reason we've been so solid over the 16 months has been primarily due to the coach, but a level of "Zvezdastvo" also has to be factored in. This term roughly translates into how much of a Crvena Zvezda fan you are, and out of our full squad of 23 I would say about half if not more are Zvezda fans through and through. Out of the starting 11, two have come fully through the academy. As such, in modern football where it's rare to have a team of club fans like as it was the case before the Bosman rule, I would say we have a pretty strong core of players who truly love the club, a la Liverpool in the early 2000's. In addition, outside of Lorenzo Ebicilio, Jonathan Cafu, El Grande Ben, Rashid Sumaila and Richmond Boakye all of the players are Serbian. Even the internationals who appear to be Canadian (Milan Borjan), Australian (Milos Degenek) and German (Marko Marin) are actually Serbs with different citizenship.

This is a fair assessment. If you re-watch the highlights of that game which ended 0-0 it's very similar in the sense how we like to attack. Arsenal had their chances but we also had 2-3 100% chances which our center forward did not convert. We'll be setup to play quickly on the counter.

At Anfield, I agree. At the Marakana we have a belief, but clearly Liverpool are the favorites and also one of the favorites for the Champions League given their exploits in Europe over the last couple of seasons. The one reason we're so confident at home (not for me to be arrogant hopefully!  ) is because our coach has instilled and drilled a great shape over the last 14 months, to the point that no matter who we play in Belgrade whether it's Arsenal or CSKA Moscow we have not conceded more than one goal. Yes, this is the Champions League and we're talking about another level in quality, but at the end of the day the ball is round, and given our trajectory over the last 14 months we will try and be a serious challenge for anyone in Belgrade. That is what type of belief Milojevic has brought in. It's also a massive positive that most of the squad has stayed together so they've grown in belief from when they started in June 2017.

That is a very good way of describing it. The players, and especially the fans will be up for the battle (the singing and the choreo).

3. The Other Stuff -

I'm not sure what this means, but you'd be surprised how far the West has reached. Also, given the game will in November, the one in Belgrade, I'd make sure to bring a warm jacket. It won't be anything crazy cold, but it could get chilly in the evening.

This is an accurate statement. Red Star, much like Spartak Moscow in Russia, is the People's Club.

I'm quite impressed by the history knowledge of this forum in general and respect where it's due. Not many would have know this fact or how the games transpired. See below for the Anfield match programme and ticket. I've read a lot on Bill Shankly and both him and Milan Miljanic (the coach of Zvezda at the time) are huge, huge legends of the game. Miljanic coached Real Madrid and duly won back to back La Liga titles as well as the league cup double in his first season in Madrid. I'm hopeful these two encounters can add to the football lore of these two great clubs.

Similar to the comment above. Respect where respect is due.

I had the same thought when the group came out. Two European Cup winning sides, one a UEFA Cup winner, and one modern football side.

Right back at you mate.

Given what Arsenal fans have noted above, I recommend you trying to make the trip. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Many people think of the worst things when they hear Belgrade, but I can promise you that you'll be greatly surprised. I recommend getting on the bus with these fellas below.

The Anfield Wrap - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wA4Ed4uu-s

You won't regret it.

Also here's a short piece in regards to Balkan football from this period and how our encounter changed the mind of people -

https://gameofthepeople.com/2016/10/23/great-reputations-red-star-belgrade-1973-74-the-team-that-changed-english-football/

[kesey]

No mate were on the Manchester early morning flight on the Tuesday... then back Thursday morning. Have you looked at the train into Belgrade? I priced it for the 5 of us and it came out just under 20 euros to Subotica, then Subotica to Belgrade if you can get a bus/train from there.

Ak. Ok. Cheers for the info. I seen a train that stopped 25 times between the two cities and cant be arsed with that hence my Timisoara route. Will deffo check out the info youve given.

Ta.

[Max100]

Sport Options are doing a day trip from Manchester for £299. Not a bad price considering.

[redgriffin73]

Sport Options are doing a day trip from Manchester for £299. Not a bad price considering.

That's not bad, I expected it to be more. Don't need it for this as going for a few days but might do for Paris so hope they keep the price down for that as well.

[Shanklygates]

I just saw that - not bad.

I'd be up for that but don't want to go on my own. And it's from Manchester so given I don't drive...  need to have a think! 

[MaxStafford]

Will I be guaranteed a ticket for this with Kiev(Don't think it counts anyway)  Roma/United/Dortmund? Might book it if so

[kalle-anka]

Will I be guaranteed a ticket for this with Kiev(Don't think it counts anyway)  Roma/United/Dortmund? Might book it if so

I’m unsure my mate with 7 from the last two campaigns and 4 (without Kiev) from last year will qualify.
Can’t see it dropping to 1 from last season.. think it’ll sell out on 3 or perhaps even 4 depending on the allocation.

[Colm305]

Given how close to match day our ticket office issue the selling criteria I doubt there will be a second sale so will either start on 3 or 4 depending on the allocation and that will be that.
Interesting that Arsenal had a voucher system to prove that you travelled. Hopefully they will do something to stop people from just buying for the credit and staying at home.

[ABJ]

Given how close to match day our ticket office issue the selling criteria I doubt there will be a second sale so will either start on 3 or 4 depending on the allocation and that will be that.
Interesting that Arsenal had a voucher system to prove that you travelled. Hopefully they will do something to stop people from just buying for the credit and staying at home.

Of course they’ll be a 2nd sale, can you imagine someone having not missed a away Euro away for years ending up empty handed? It will based on the 6 aways from last season + Napoli from this :

6+ guaranteed 1st sale
5+ Non guaranteed 2nd sale

[Colm305]

Of course they’ll be a 2nd sale, can you imagine someone having not missed a away Euro away for years ending up empty handed? It will based on the 6 aways from last season + Napoli from this :

6+ guaranteed 1st sale
5+ Non guaranteed 2nd sale

Yeah. Fair enough although would presume that if someone hasn't missed a Euro away in years they would be sorted in the first sale anyway.
Suppose it will all depend on the allocation.

[jizzspunk]

Given how close to match day our ticket office issue the selling criteria I doubt there will be a second sale so will either start on 3 or 4 depending on the allocation and that will be that.
Interesting that Arsenal had a voucher system to prove that you travelled. Hopefully they will do something to stop people from just buying for the credit and staying at home.

Who's gonna buy a ticket and stay at home?

[nickyd186]

Our club does my head in at times with waiting to give allocations and what criteria is needed for away games. Those the other end  of the East Lancs have issued all away allocations for the 3 games and sold them out all ready!

[Colm305]

Who's gonna buy a ticket and stay at home?

For the credit.

[jizzspunk]

For the credit.

Who's gonna buy a ticket, for the credit, and stay at home?

[ChrisLFCKOP]

Who's gonna buy a ticket, for the credit, and stay at home?

loads if they can pass them on.

[Tiz Lad]

Of course they’ll be a 2nd sale, can you imagine someone having not missed a away Euro away for years ending up empty handed? It will based on the 6 aways from last season + Napoli from this :

6+ guaranteed 1st sale
5+ Non guaranteed 2nd sale

I reckon it may be

5+ guaranteed 1st sale
4+ Non guaranteed 2nd sale

Think if we get the statutory 5% allocation we should get 2650

Sevilla we got 2450 and there stadium is 10000 less capacity than Red Star 42500 against 53000

Could be wrong like

[away.days]

Flights booked 

[ABJ]

Given how close to match day our ticket office issue the selling criteria I doubt there will be a second sale so will either start on 3 or 4 depending on the allocation and that will be that.
Interesting that Arsenal had a voucher system to prove that you travelled. Hopefully they will do something to stop people from just buying for the credit and staying at home.

Yeah. Fair enough although would presume that if someone hasn't missed a Euro away in years they would be sorted in the first sale anyway.
Suppose it will all depend on the allocation.

If there was not a 2nd sale, like you've suggested, then no one would be guaranteed in the 1st sale.

[ABJ]

7 of us doing this :

Sunday morning flight to Eindhoven
Monday afternoon flight to Belgrade
Wednesday afternoon flight to Eindhoven
Wednesday night flight back home

£140 each.

[Tiz Lad]

Red Star announced ticket sales for their own fans, this is for the general sale not for their members, so assume we'll be charged the same as the general sale price - Cheapest ticket at today's exchange rate £57 - Not exactly cheap

http://www.crvenazvezdafk.com/en/vest/7487/ulaznice-za-ligu-sampiona

TICKET SET PRICES:
North Stand and South Stand: RSD 7,500 - At today;s exchange rate  - £57.44
East Stand: RSD 15,000 - £114.88
West Stand (side sectors): RSD 15,000 - - £114.88
West Stand (central sectors): RSD 18,000 - £137.85

[redgriffin73]

Red Star announced ticket sales for their own fans, this is for the general sale not for their members, so assume we'll be charged the same as the general sale price - Cheapest ticket at today's exchange rate £57 - Not exactly cheap

http://www.crvenazvezdafk.com/en/vest/7487/ulaznice-za-ligu-sampiona

TICKET SET PRICES:
North Stand and South Stand: RSD 7,500 - At today;s exchange rate  - £57.44
East Stand: RSD 15,000 - £114.88
West Stand (side sectors): RSD 15,000 - - £114.88
West Stand (central sectors): RSD 18,000 - £137.85

Bloody hell, weren't Arsenal's a tenner or something in the EL last year?!

[dudleyred]

Bloody hell, weren't Arsenal's a tenner or something in the EL last year?!

Sure I read that. Piss take if true. Suspect our tickets will be priced at £137?!

[redgriffin73]

Sure I read that. Piss take if true. Suspect our tickets will be priced at £137?!

Having seen pictures of the state of the away end, they'd better fucking not be!

[Luke 17]

Bloody hell, weren't Arsenal's a tenner or something in the EL last year?!

Disgrace that if it's those prices. Arsenal got charged £10 and Wales fans got charged £3.50 when they played Serbia in the same stadium.

[Barry Banana]

Red Star announced ticket sales for their own fans, this is for the general sale not for their members, so assume we'll be charged the same as the general sale price - Cheapest ticket at today's exchange rate £57 - Not exactly cheap

http://www.crvenazvezdafk.com/en/vest/7487/ulaznice-za-ligu-sampiona

TICKET SET PRICES:
North Stand and South Stand: RSD 7,500 - At today;s exchange rate  - £57.44
East Stand: RSD 15,000 - £114.88
West Stand (side sectors): RSD 15,000 - - £114.88
West Stand (central sectors): RSD 18,000 - £137.85

I am hoping that those prices cover all three games.

It says in the blurb: ....with each member limited to one SET of tickets.

The price list then says: TICKET SET PRICES

Hopefully those are the prices for a set of three tickets and we're looking at a third of those prices.

I might be wrong.

[kesey]

Bit pricey them. I only paid 48.00 for the final.

[Tiz Lad]

I am hoping that those prices cover all three games.

It says in the blurb: ....with each member limited to one SET of tickets.

The price list then says: TICKET SET PRICES

Hopefully those are the prices for a set of three tickets and we're looking at a third of those prices.

I might be wrong.

Hope so

[nickyd186]

there for all 3 games

[chrissimpson81]

Sunday Stansted to Budapest
Monday sleeper train to Belgrade
Wednesday bus to Budapest
Weds eve Budapest to Luton

150 with hotels