Will Zvezda seal the deal in the first leg?
A true “David vs. Goliath” matchup has emerged in the second round of Champions League qualifying. In the matchup between Larne and Red Star Belgrade, the bet that the Northern Irish can defeat the former Champions League winner (1991) faces extremely poor odds, if only because the home team has a smaller budget than most German regional league clubs. Zvezda (meaning “the Star”), on the other hand, is traveling to Inver Park with a highly decorated squad that includes, among others, 16 senior national team players. The Crveno-beli therefore have a clear ambition to advance to the Champions League group stage.
And one can’t even argue that Larne lacks match rhythm, since the 2026–27 season in Serbia already kicked off last weekend. Zvezda started with a resounding 5–0 victory over Macva, flexing their muscles in style. Consequently, in the match between Larne and Red Star Belgrade, the only realistic prediction is that the Crveno-beli will seal the deal in the first leg. Although the Northern Irish team’s home record is quite impressive—they’ve lost only one of their last five European home games (two wins, two draws)—we expect a clear away victory. We’re therefore backing the visitors with a -2 handicap.
For Larne FC, meanwhile, the first-round victory over Tre Fiori, the champions of San Marino, must have been worth its weight in gold. A loss to the Serbs would see the Northern Irish champions advance to the third qualifying round of the Europa League, and a loss there would likely send them to the Conference League playoffs. Larne already prevailed against the Lincoln Red Imps there two years ago and subsequently even celebrated a 1-0 victory over KAA Gent on the inconsequential final matchday of the group stage.
Larne – Red Star Belgrade Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head: 0 – 0 – 0
There has never been a meeting between these two clubs in a competitive international match. As a result, there is no “head-to-head” data available that could influence our prediction for Larne vs. Red Star Belgrade.
Larne vs. Red Star Belgrade Prediction
Ultimately, this match pits two worlds against each other. On one side is a Northern Irish underdog that barely held its own against the San Marino champions in the first round of Champions League qualifying, even having to come back from a deficit. And on the other side, a highly decorated serial champion that even won the Champions League—or the European Cup—back in 1991. Zvezda last played in the group stage of the Champions League during the 2024–25 season, where they recorded victories against VfB Stuttgart and Young Boys Bern.
The Serbs’ early-season form is also turning heads. On Friday, Zvezda kicked off the 2026–27 season in Serbia with a resounding 5–0 victory over Macva. We wouldn’t rule out a similar result here either. With that in mind, we’re placing a -2 handicap bet on the Crveno-beli.
