Red Star Belgrade Includes Former Maccabi Tel Aviv Defender Lucasen for Crucial Match Against Hapoel Be'er Sheva

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is set to face a challenging test against Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Champions League playoff round. The Serbian champions, aiming for their first-ever qualification to the competition's group stage, have included former Maccabi Tel Aviv defender Derik Lucasen in their squad. Lucasen, a Ghanaian international who scored in the recent World Cup and had a strong Champions League campaign last season with Pafos FC, is expected to make his debut against the Israeli team. This will mark his fourth encounter with Hapoel Be'er Sheva, holding a record of three wins and one draw against them.

Alongside Lucasen, Red Star's squad also features Israeli players Luzio Luiz and Mohammad Abu Fani, with Abu Fani almost certain to start. Should Hapoel Be'er Sheva advance past Red Star, they will face the winner of the tie between Denmark's Aarhus and Azerbaijan's Sabah in the next playoff round. The match underscores a significant hurdle for the Negev-based club as they pursue European competition success.