Red Star Belgrade Criticized After Champions League Loss to Hapoel Be'er Sheva

Hapoel Be'er Sheva secured a significant victory on August 11, 2026, advancing to the UEFA Champions League playoff round after defeating Red Star Belgrade 2-0 away, with a 3-0 aggregate score. The Serbian media sharply criticized Red Star's players, particularly Derek Lokasen and Mohammed Abu Fani, both familiar to Israeli fans. Lokasen was described as appearing amateurish, with a poor performance that directly contributed to both goals conceded. Despite a decent start, he made a critical error in the 60th minute and failed to mark Jovan Isti, who scored the second goal. Abu Fani, who entered at halftime, was noted for bringing creativity and creating chances but was also blamed for the team's collapse culminating in a red card. The Serbian press highlighted that August 11 would not be a memorable date for Abu Fani due to his sending off. This defeat marked a disappointing exit for Red Star from the Champions League qualifiers.