Crvena Zvezda – Hapoel Beer Sheva Preview – Can Zvezda complete the comeback?
Crvena Zvezda went into this Champions League qualifying tie as clear favourites, riding a hot run of domestic form, only for Hapoel Beer Sheva to nick a 1-0 win in the first leg and flip the whole tie on its head. That result is exactly why this set of Crvena Zvezda vs Hapoel Beer Sheva betting tips is worth a proper look: Zvezda now have to chase the game from the first whistle at a packed Marakana, and desperate home sides in must-win Champions League ties tend to produce some of the more bettable matches of the qualifying rounds. Kick-off is set for 18:00 GMT on 11 August 2026 in Belgrade.
- 11/08/2026
The first leg told an odd story. Hapoel played that tie away from their own stadium, at a neutral ground in Hungary, which is standard for their European fixtures, and they arrived having barely strung wins together domestically in the weeks before. Zvezda, in contrast, had been scoring for fun at home. None of that showed up on the pitch: Hapoel sat in, defended their box and snatched the goal that now has Belgrade needing a big night just to stay in the competition. If you want the detail on how that first meeting actually played out, our tips for that first game in Hungary cover the finer points of why Hapoel’s low-key approach worked.
Because the away goals rule no longer applies at this stage, a one-goal Zvezda win only forces extra time rather than settling the tie outright, so Belgrade really need two clear goals to close this out inside ninety minutes. That is a demanding target, and it gets harder with defender Avdic missing for the hosts, a real blow to a backline that is about to spend the evening pushed high and exposed. The winner here goes further in Champions League qualifying, the loser drops into a lower European route, so neither side has any reason to play it safe.
Crvena Zvezda – Hapoel Beer Sheva Betting Tips
Given the maths Zvezda are up against, this looks like a match built for backing goals and nerve rather than a cagey stalemate.
Betting Tip: Crvena Zvezda to win
Zvezda have carried their scoring touch from the league straight into August, and a raucous Marakana crowd is about as good a stage as they will get to use it. Needing at least a two-goal swing, sitting deep simply is not an option for the hosts, and a team already this sharp in front of goal at home should fancy putting Hapoel under sustained pressure for the full ninety minutes.
Betting Tip: Over 2.5 goals
Zvezda cannot afford to play cautiously here, and a side that has been finding the net regularly domestically is unlikely to ease off once it gets an early sniff of a goal. Hapoel have also been leaking goals in recent weeks, and a team defending a slim lead away from its own ground for a full match tends to crack at some point. Over 2.5 goals suits a game where one side simply has to keep coming.
Betting Tip: Both teams to score
Hapoel already showed in the first leg that they can find a way through when the moment calls for it, and Zvezda go into this second leg without defender Avdic, a gap in a defence that will already be stretched by pushing men forward all night. Both teams to score pairs nicely with backing the home win here, especially if Zvezda are forced to keep gambling with bodies at the back. Get your picks in early and check the latest match odds before kick-off, since prices tend to shift once the team news is confirmed.
What to expect at the Marakana
Zvezda’s ground has hosted some famous European nights, this club won the old European Cup back in the day, and Serbian football does not get bigger occasions than a knockout second leg with something real on the line. Expect the crowd to be a factor from minute one, expect Hapoel to try and repeat the discipline that won them the first leg, and expect Zvezda to take risks they might not take in a normal league game. Anyone still undecided on the pick should remember the basic equation: Zvezda have to attack, and teams that have to attack usually end up in matches with goals at both ends.
- 11/08/2026
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