Red Star (home)
- Red Star won 3 of their last 5 games, losing the other 2 (2-0 at home against FK Novi Pazar, 0-2 at home against Hapoel Beer-Sheva in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026).
- Red Star have a strong home form, winning 3 and losing 1 of their last 4 home games.
- Dejan Stanković's Red Star side are built around a high-intensity 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-5 shape which is compact, but ready to press hard, win the ball back immediately and explode in transition, while they can also maintain the pace and tempo to control the territory when they get on top.
- Red Star have won 5, drawn 1 and lost 4 of their 10 matches since the start of the year (W5, D1, L4), a mixed enough run, but certainly one that displays a higher ceiling than Viktorka's.
Plzen (away)
- Plzen won none of their last 5, drawing 3 and losing 2 (1-1 at home against FC Zbrojovka Brno, 5-5 away against FK Teplice in the 1. Liga 2026/2027).
- Plzen have won 3, drawn 4 and lost 3 of their 10 games across all competitions in 2026 (W3, D4, L3), a solid enough run, but not a particularly inspiring one, as Hysky is yet to inspire the side since taking over on 15 October 2025.
- Viktorka have conceded eight goals on the road in that time and travel to Serbia on the back of a 2-game draw streak, so the hosts look the most likely winners.
Betting Insights
- The bookies seem to be going for goals in this match, as Both Teams To Score is 1.6 and Over 2.5 is 1.81, while Under 2.5 at 2.09 would keep the game close and in play.
- Red Star have scored an average of 2.67 and conceded an average of 0.83 goals at home, so we like the look of BTTS and Over 2.5 to come in, although the draw could still be on if Plzen can keep it tight.
Prediction
Thursday's game looks like an attackers vs structure affair, so Red Star's high tempo and ability to get the ball in behind the opponent's defensive line should see them open up Viktorka on more than one occasion and, while a home win does fit the stats and odds, Plzen's structure should keep it closer than the price suggests.
