Red Star Coach Stankovic Responds Calmly Ahead of Crucial Hapoel Be'er Sheva Clash

Red Star Belgrade's coach, Dejan Stankovic, addressed the atmosphere in Serbia ahead of the upcoming Champions League playoff second leg against Hapoel Be'er Sheva. The Israeli club surprised Red Star with a 1-0 away win in Hungary last Wednesday, intensifying the pressure before the return match in Belgrade. Speaking at a press conference before Red Star's league game against Novi Pazar, Stankovic acknowledged the unexpected loss, saying, "It was not a defeat we expected or were prepared for; it completely surprised us and all the fans." He emphasized the need for a victory in the upcoming league match to maintain morale.

Despite the high stakes, Stankovic criticized the intense public pressure in Serbia surrounding the team's qualification hopes for the Champions League. He stated, "We will play football even if we do not make it to the Champions League. I do not like that everything is treated as a matter of life or death among football fans in our country. We will try to stay calm ahead of this game." The second leg in Belgrade will determine which team advances to the Champions League playoff round.