Prediction and odds analysis for Red Star Belgrade vs Pafos at 02:00, August 20th, UEFA Champions League play-off round

Prediction and odds breakdown for Red Star Belgrade vs Pafos (02:00, August 20). Forecast, expected lineups, and expert analysis for the Red Star Belgrade vs Pafos match in the UEFA Champions League play-off round.

Red Star Belgrade vs Pafos match preview

90-minute odds: 0 : 3/4

Total goals: 2 3/4

Red Star Belgrade welcomes Pafos to Rajko Mitić Stadium for the first leg of the 2025/26 Champions League play-off. Their goal is to secure an advantage before the return match in Cyprus. Despite their impressive domestic form, Red Star Belgrade faces a surprising Pafos side. With home advantage and an unbeaten streak, Red Star Belgrade is favored to dominate. However, Pafos’s solid defense and effective attack will pose a tough challenge.

Red Star Belgrade finished 29th in the Champions League league phase last season, defeating Young Boys and Stuttgart. They beat Lincoln Red Imps 6-1 in round 2 and Lech Poznan 4-2 in round 3, highlighted by a 3-1 victory in Poland. Domestically, coach Vladan Milojevic’s squad won all four SuperLiga matches with a +14 goal difference. Most recently, they defeated Mladost Lucani 4-1. Red Star Belgrade is unbeaten in 15 matches and has not lost in 17 home games.

In contrast, this is Pafos’s first appearance in Champions League qualifying. It’s their second European season after last year’s Conference League. Pafos eliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-1 in round 2 and Dynamo Kyiv 3-0 in round 3, keeping clean sheets in both matches against Kyiv. Although the Cyprus league hasn’t started, coach Juan Carlos Carcedo’s team is unbeaten in 10 games. With a sharp attack, Pafos is confident despite limited experience.