Red Star remain one of Serbian football’s fixed points, founded in 1945 and based at Stadion Rajko Mitić. For Celtic supporters, they are the sort of European opponent who require little dressing up: established, experienced, and accustomed to carrying domestic expectation.
The 2026-27 season has them sitting first in the SuperLiga, with five wins from their last six league matches. That run includes comfortable victories over Čukarički, Novi Pazar and Macva, with the only recent interruption a 2-1 home defeat to OFK Beograd.
The squad is sizeable at 35 players, with an average age of 26 and a market value of around £86.5m, according to Transfermarkt. Mirko Ivanić and Vasilije Kostov lead their scoring with four goals each, while Bruno Duarte da Silva and Aleksandar Katai have also contributed regularly.
Their European season has included Europa League qualifying play-offs, the Champions League third qualifying round and the Conference League league phase. Domestically, Red Star are in command; for Celtic, their relevance is straightforward – a technically capable, battle-hardened side with current form behind them.
