Hapoel Beer Sheva vs Crvena Zvezda Prediction 4 August 2026
🔊 The neutral venue in Hungary shifts the usual dynamic between these two sides. Hapoel are technically the home team in the first leg, but they won't have their Beer-Sheva crowd behind them - again. That matters, because Crvena Zvezda arrive in excellent form: four consecutive wins in official matches, 17 goals scored across that run. Hapoel, by contrast, only snapped their rough patch in the previous round. Can Ran Kozuch's side pull off another turnaround against a team on a completely different level?
Head-to-Head
📊 The two clubs have never met before.
Head-to-head statistics Hapoel Beer Sheva - Crvena Zvezda
Hapoel Beer Sheva Team Overview
The path to the third round was nervy. After losing 1-2 to Víkingur in Iceland, the Israelis needed a win in the second leg - and got it (2-0). That result was Hapoel's first win in five matches and ended a three-game losing streak. There's another detail worth flagging: it was also the first time in a long while that the club won a match as the nominal home side, following the relocation of their European home games from Be'er Sheva.
Zahi Ahmed was one of the standout performers against Víkingur. He opened the scoring and now has three goal contributions in the second halves of his last five competitive matches. How active he is on the flank will go a long way to determining how often Hapoel can escape pressure from the Belgrade side. Igor Zlatanović will most likely lead the line, with Javon East providing support from the other wing.
Hapoel's main problem is consistency. They can put together strong spells and have already shown they're capable of coming from behind - but against Crvena Zvezda, one good half probably won't be enough. The Serbian club punishes mistakes a lot faster than Víkingur does.
Match Results: Hapoel Beer Sheva
Red Star Team Overview
Belgrade's start to the new season has been close to flawless. Four wins, 17 goals scored, just one conceded - the numbers speak for themselves. In the second qualifying round, Dejan Stanković's side beat Larne 4-0 away and then added five more at home without reply.
The away form stands out in particular. Crvena Zvezda have won their last four European matches on the road and kept a clean sheet in every one. That matters going into a match on neutral ground, where Hapoel's home advantage effectively disappears. Belgrade have been comfortable in these conditions for a while now - nine consecutive seasons reaching at least the group stage or league phase of a European competition.
There's no shortage of attacking options off the bench either. Aleksandar Katai scored and assisted in the second leg against Larne, having come on as a substitute in each of the two previous matches and contributed an assist both times. That kind of depth lets Stanković shift the tempo without any drop in quality.
Match Results: Red Star
Latest news
Hapoel Beer Sheva
The hosts aren't at full strength. Centre-back Djibril Diop is still working his way back from a thigh injury, and recent signing Pedro Amador is recovering from an Achilles problem. Itay Rotman and Miguel Vitor are expected to form the central defensive partnership, with Guy Mizrahi and Matan Baltaxa on the flanks. Up front, Dan Biton and João Victor remain unavailable, which leaves the coaching staff with limited options in attack.
Red Star
The visitors are pretty much at full strength. The only absentee is 18-year-old Adem Avdić, out with a cruciate ligament injury. Matej Strika should start at left back, with Miloš Veljković, Franklin Uchenna and Sol Yeon-Woo alongside him. Given Hapoel's injury problems, that's another advantage for the Serbian side.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
Crvena Zvezda's attacking form right now is impressive. Six matches, 20 goals - 3.33 per game on average. Total over 2.5 landed in 14 of their last 15 matches, and away from home they've scored at least twice in 8 of 9. Hapoel aren't short of chances either after the break: ten goals in six games, averaging 1.66. The Israelis will be cautious, but shutting down this Crvena Zvezda side on a neutral pitch is a tall order. Against that backdrop, total goals over 2.5 at 1.74* looks worth backing.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Comparing the two teams' overall corner stats is tricky - different leagues, and they've never met before. But Crvena Zvezda have a clear pattern. Over their last five matches, the Belgrade side average 6.2 corners per game. Only once in that run did they fall short of five - a friendly against Zenit, where they managed three. Given the visitors are expected to dominate possession and press high, Crvena Zvezda total corners over 4.5 at 1.63* makes sense.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Hapoel have been playing noticeably rougher lately. Twenty bookings across their last ten matches, with half of those coming in just the last three games. Crvena Zvezda are calmer by comparison - seven yellows over the same stretch. The match will be refereed by Jesús Gil Manzano. The Spanish official averages 2.44 yellow cards per game across his last 20. Hapoel will spend a lot of time chasing the ball and breaking up the favourite's transitions - so the pick here is total yellow cards over 2.5.
*Odds are approximate and may vary across different bookmakers.
⭐️ Editor's Pick
The difference in current form is hard to ignore. Hapoel got past Vikingur on character, but had lost three in a row before that. Red Star, by contrast, have started the season without a slip - sweeping opponents aside with pace, squad depth and clinical finishing.
That said, writing off the hosts entirely would be a mistake. Hapoel have scored in 24 of their last 25 matches and have already shown they can bounce back after rough patches. The Serbian side have also found the net in 19 of their previous 20 games. On neutral ground Red Star should create more, but the Israelis will get at least one chance. So our pick is Both Teams To Score: Yes. Predicted score: 2-1 to Red Star.
No comments
Betting Tips: Hapoel Beer Sheva - Red Star
in 12 of last 14 games..svg)
in 18 of last 20 games.in last 17 games.
in 7 of last 8 Hapoel Beer Sheva games.in 14 of last 15 Red Star games.in 6 of last 7 Red Star games.
in 7 of last 8 Jesus Gil Manzano games.in 24 of last 25 games.in 22 of last 23 games.
Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
