Red Star's Conference League draw mixes three familiar opponents with three first meetings

Red Star have learned their six opponents for the 2026/27 Conference League league phase. The draw includes Copenhagen, Gent, Trabzonspor, Lugano, Inter Escaldes and Iberia 1999. Red Star have competitive history with the first three clubs, while the other three meetings will be new.

Copenhagen recalls one of Red Star's longest penalty shootouts

Red Star met Copenhagen in Champions League qualifying in 2019. Both matches finished 1-1 after normal time, and the second leg remained level through extra time. The tie was then decided by a long penalty shootout that Red Star won 7-6. That history explains familiarity between the club names, but it does not predict the next match. The squads, coaches and competition format are different.

Two wins over Gent belong to a separate European campaign

The meetings with Gent came in the 2020/21 Europa League group stage. Red Star won 2-1 in Belgrade and 2-0 away. Katai and Kanga scored at home, while Njegoš Petrović and Nemanja Milunović scored in Belgium. Those results show that Red Star handled two different match settings in that season. They should not be added together and presented as one new score for the coming Conference League fixture.

Trabzonspor produced one victory for each home team

In the 2022/23 Europa League group stage, Trabzonspor won 2-1 in Turkey and Red Star answered with the same score in Belgrade. Aleksandar Pešić and Aleksandar Katai scored in the home victory. The balanced history offers tactical context because both clubs previously used home advantage, but the next meeting begins at zero. A past score can inform preparation without becoming a forecast.

Three opponents bring no previous competitive reference

Lugano, Inter Escaldes and Iberia 1999 have not faced Red Star in an official match. Video analysis will therefore matter more than memories from an earlier tie. Red Star must study how each team builds attacks, defends set pieces and reacts after losing the ball. The absence of history should not be confused with an easy assignment. An unfamiliar opponent can create problems precisely because players have fewer direct references.

The league phase requires separate plans for six matches

A league-phase schedule is not one home-and-away knockout tie against every opponent. Each fixture contributes to one wider table, and the value of a draw or win depends on the complete campaign. Red Star need to manage travel, domestic matches and squad recovery across several weeks. The staff can use the historical notes as an introduction, but selection and risk must be based on the current opponent and the location of each game.

Three familiar opponents and three new ones create different preparation tasks

Copenhagen, Gent and Trabzonspor give Red Star recent footage from direct European meetings, even though the squads have changed. Lugano, Inter Escaldes and Iberia 1999 require a different starting point because there is no official head-to-head match to review. The staff can divide the scouting work accordingly: update old references for the familiar clubs and build a new tactical file for the first-time opponents.

The completed draw now moves attention to dates and venues

All six opponents are confirmed, while the Conference League matches themselves have not yet been played. The next official information will establish the order, dates and venues. Those details will shape travel, ticket sales and recovery between domestic and European fixtures. Historical scores offer context for three pairings, but every new match will begin level and produce its own result.

Home and away information must wait for the official calendar

The draw identifies opponents but does not by itself confirm that every listed club will visit Belgrade. The league-phase schedule determines which fixtures Red Star play at home and which require travel. Supporters should wait for the official calendar before buying transport or accommodation. Historical home results are context only and cannot be used to infer the venue of a new match.