Former Red Star Coach Criticizes Team's Heavy Foreign Player Use After Champions League Exit

Alexander Jankovic, former coach of Red Star Belgrade, sharply criticized the club following its elimination from the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round by Israeli champions Hapoel Be'er Sheva. In an interview in Serbia, Jankovic highlighted the team's reliance on foreign players, contrasting the current squad with the 2018 team that defeated Liverpool with mostly Serbian players. He noted that while the 2018 team fielded nine local players and no foreigners on the bench, the current Red Star squad has 16 foreign players yet failed to score against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in two matches, losing 3-0 on aggregate.

Jankovic also condemned the club's transfer policy, accusing Red Star of buying over 100 foreign players, many of whom do not play, while selling thirty youth players touted as prodigies who now play elsewhere. He expressed skepticism about the club's direction and its ability to convince average Serbian fans that this strategy is beneficial. Red Star is set to watch Hapoel Be'er Sheva play Sabah in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday, as they recover from their recent elimination.

Jankovic's comments underscore tensions within Red Star regarding team composition and development strategy, especially after the disappointing exit to an Israeli club that relied heavily on foreign talent.