Europa League, Red Star Belgrade- Stade Rennais, Thursday 20:30 CET. For this Europa League play-off round, Rennes are preparing to face the legendary Serbian club of Red Star Belgrade, in the white hot atmosphere of “Marakana” Stadium. Mladen Šolak a journalist for Serbian News Agency Beta News Agency, gives us a historic and tactical look at the “Rouge et Noir”’s future opponent.
The history of Red Star Belgrade (in Serbian: Crvena Zvevda) can be split in two distinct periods. The first spans from the club’s creation to the successes of 1991 in the European Cup of Champions and Intercontinental cup. The second starts after this key era in the club’s history, and continues today.
The club was created at the end of the Second World War, in 1945, when a group of members of the Serbian United Antifascist Youth League, decided to form a Youth Physical Culture that would soon become the Red Star.
During the fifties, the « Red and White » affirmed their presence as a dominant club in Yugoslavian football, before quicly building their reputation on the European stage during the sixties. In the following decade, the first big continental successes arrived, with a European Champions’ Cup semi-final in 1971 and a UEFA Cup final in 1979.
The eighties saw the greatest hours of the « Marakana ». The greatest teams in Europe, such as Real Madrid, collapsed under the pressure of the 100,000 supporters (the stadium’s capacity has since been reduced to just over 50,000 seats) of the stadium, and the club kept on developing and growing to seal its domination on the Yugoslavian scene, while continuing its ascension in Europe, culminating with the European and World titles of 1991.
After the climax of 1991 and the years of war, the decline was violent for the club, which retreated rapidly from European and global domination to the status of second club in Serbia, behind the Partizan Belgrade. The club survived, and managed to earn a few more domestic titles, but the glorious years seemed a lifetime away already.
The Red Star Belgrade which Rennes will face this Thursday evening owes its very existence to the administration of Vladan Lukić, one of the heroes of the 1991 victorious campaigns. Lukić took presidency of the club two years ago, as the Red Star was on the verge of bankruptcy, with no money, no sponsors, and caught in many legal battles and financial claims from former players.
During that period, the Partizan clinched four consecutive Serbian champion titles (the longest run in the club’s history) while the Red Star only managed to win one national cup and lost European confrontations with the likes of Slavia Prague or Slovan Liberec. Therefore, a success against Rennes and a qualification for the Europa League’s group phase would be a resounding success for a club still in reconstruction.
The Fans- Delije Sever
The Delije (Делије, English translation: Heroes) is the nickname given to the different sections of the multiport club. The difficulties met by the Serbian club have stimulated the fans to attend the games of their team massively, with an average of 15,000 for every Serbian Superliga game, way above the average in Eastern Europe. Against Rennes however, the attendance will be much bigger and the “Marakana” should be sold to its full capacity for the occasions. The Rennais can prepare to face a surrealistic atmosphere in one of the most passionate stadiums in Europe.
As well as their rivalry with the neighbouring club, Partizan Belgrade, whose game against the Red Star are known as the “Eternal Derby” (Serbian: Вечити дерби), the Delije have also struck a partnership with the fans of Olympiacos Pireus (Greece) and Spartak Moscow (Russia), two clubs wearing the Red and White colours and whose supporters are majorly of Orthodox confession, like the Red Star’s .
« The Red Star’s Stars »
All along its history, the club showed its recognition to is greatest players by offering them the “Red Star’s Stars”. To this day, six Stars have been awarded to Rajko Mitić (1945–1958), Dragoslav Šekularac (1955–1966), Dragan Džajić (1961–1975; 1977–1978), Vladimir Petrović “Pižon” (1972–1982), Dragan Stojković “Piksi” (1986–1990) and the complete generation that won the European and Intercontinental titles in 1991.
The legendary Robert Prosinečki, nowadays the manager of Red Star Belgrade, champions a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-5-1 formation with a lot of passing and a pivotal role given to the midfielder. However, there is a gap between the game of quick passing and attractive football the Croatian manager is trying to achieve, and the ability of his players to put these tactics in practice on the pitch. The Serbian fans will therefore be eager to see whether he could find his way and put his tactics in place during the summer break.
The Red Star’s players are trying to create chances through a game of repeated passes and an important use of the full backs Duško Tošić et Nikola Mikić. Prosinečki insists his team should play the ball “on the ground”, and it’s clear that the Red Star will not focus on long high balls during this double tie.
Rennes can therefore expect to face a team with playing ambitions, which will try to develop their own football, based on their midfield trio composed of Evandro, Dimitrijević and Kadu, while the contest between former Lens-man Nenad Kovacevic and the Rennes midfield will also be worth some attention.
Goalkeper – Until last season, Montenegro’s Boban Bajković (26) was mostly known for his hectic nightlife and his relationships with Serbian starlets, rather than for his goalkeeping exploits. However, at the arrival of Prosinečki, Bajković has soon found himself in the position of first goalkeeper and multiplied the great games and magnificent saves in the Red Star’s goals, to become one of the Marakana’s favourites.
Defence – The Red Star back line has been heavily changed in the last two seasons and is now relying on two powerful, fast full-backs in the persons of former Sochaux-man Duško Tošić (26) and Nikola Mikić (26), a right back with good technical skills, who was transferred a few years ago to prepare the departure of former captain Pavle Ninkov, who joined the Toulouse FC this summer.
Unless Ghanaian international Lee Addy (21), who is recovering of malaria caught at the beginning of this summer, was to return, the central defence should be composed of Milan Vilotić (25) and Uroš Ćosić (19). Vilotić, the club’s former captain, has known a difficult season since he recovered from a cancer, before falling-out with Prosinečki this summer. He is reportedly followed by many European clubs since several seasons, and he will probably be keen to show all his ability during this double-confrontation with Rennes. As for Uroš Ćosić, he is a pure product of the club’s Academy, but was transferred to CSKA Moscou when Red Star was on the brink of collapse. Back to Belgrade on loan, he is promised a brilliant professional career.
Midfield
Many think this compartment of the team is Robert Prosinečki’s strongest argument. The midfield is made of strong defensive midfielder and team captain Nenad Kovačević (31), back to Serbia after several years in Lens, attacking midfielder Darko Lazović (21), one of the rising stars of Serbian football, creative midfielder Miloš Dimitrijević (27), famous for his passing quality, and former Flemngo player Evandro (25).
Before them, the very physical Colombian attacking midfielder Cristian Borja (23) will try to impose his strength and power to the “Rouge et Noire” defence.
However, if Prosinečki decided to field a less attack-minded formation, a place would probably be ade in the starting line-up for young defensive midfielder Srđan Mijailović (18). Brazilian midfielder Kadu (25) could also play a role in this confrontation, if Evandro was to miss out for any reason.
Attack
If there is one line where Prosinečki will have little doubt, it is the attacking sector. His primary option is Andrija Kaluđerović (24), the team’s best goal scorer last season (17 goals), who has already scored three times during the qualification round against Ventspils.
The second choice is Bruno Mezenga (23), the club’s new recruit arrived from Flamengo this summer, who has also scored in both games against Ventspils.
The Manager
The greatest star of this team is by far its manager, Robert Prosinečki (42), a former Yugoslavian and Croatian international, a genius of a footballer who has notably played for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
As a player at the Red Star Belgrade, he was one of the pillars of the club’s famous 1991 generation, where he played a major role in one remains the biggest success in the history of Serbian football, the European Cup victory. In this success, he acquired a status of living legend with the Delije, and whatever the outcome of his managing spell at Red Star, he will forever remain one of the icons of the “Marakana”.
A player to watch : Miloš Dimitrijević
Transferred to Red Star this summer, the son of former Partizan Belgrade legend Zoran Čava Dimitrijevic hope to finally get an opportunity to prove his ability on the European stage, at 27, by playing great games against great teams. His first opportunity will arise during this double-legged-tie against Stade Rennes.
A strong player with excellent passing skills, Dimitrijevic will be keen to show his ability during these two games. After starting his professional career in Nantes and experiencing the darkest hours of the FCN’s history, he experienced a situation nearly as bad in Grenoble. He will return to France with the motivation to show that his footballing qualities are way above what he could prove during five years of professional football in the country’s top divisions.
Many thanks to Mladen Šolak
Sources: Wikipedia, www.delije-caffe.net
photos: fkcrvenazvezda.rs, belgraded.com
Ajouter un commentaire