Red Star, founded in 1945, remain the dominant reference point in Serbian football. They play at Stadion Rajko Mitić and currently sit first in the SuperLiga, with a squad valued at around £86.5m by Transfermarkt.
The squad is sizeable – 34 players with an average age of 26 – and carries enough attacking weight to explain their domestic position. Aleksandar Katai has led the scoring with 25 goals, supported by Bruno Duarte da Silva and Mirko Ivanić on 15 each, with Vasilije Kostov also into double figures.
Europe has been part of their season through the Champions League qualifying play-offs and the Europa League knockout play-offs, a useful reminder that Red Star are not merely a local force. Recent league form has been less smooth: a goalless draw at Radnik Surdulica and a 2-1 home defeat to Novi Pazar followed earlier wins over Čukarički and Partizan.
For Celtic supporters, Red Star are best viewed as an established European opponent: strong at home, well stocked in attack, and currently setting the pace in Serbia, though not without recent domestic blemishes.
