Plzen face an uphill task after a 3-0 defeat in Belgrade, needing a miracle at home. Their attacking shape in a 3-5-1-1 will be forced to take risks, which could play into the hands of a Crvena Zvezda side that thrives on the counter. The Serbian side kept three clean sheets in t…
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Sign inViktoria Plzen welcome FK Crvena Zvezda for the decisive second leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off tie on Thursday, August 27, 2026. The Czech side need to overturn a 3–0 deficit from the first leg in Belgrade to reach the group stage.
Plzen will be without three players as they chase the tie. Goalkeeper Viktor Baier is out as he continues an individual return-to-fitness programme, while centre-back Václav Jemelka remains sidelined after knee surgery. Defender Jan Paluska is also unavailable through injury. The club’s league fixture against Hradec Králové was postponed between the two European matches, giving Plzen a full week to recover and prepare for this second leg.
FK Crvena Zvezda arrive with a fully fit squad. Head coach Albert Riera has no injury concerns and can call on the same group that built a commanding first-leg lead. Motivation in the Serbian camp is high as they sit 90 minutes away from the group stage.
Plzen must attack from the opening whistle. In their most recent league win over Zlín, manager Miroslav Koubek fielded a side built around two midfield anchors – Patrik Hrošovský and Lukáš Červ – with width provided by Tomáš Ladra and Christophe Kabongo supporting striker Prince Adu. Hrošovský dictates tempo and takes set pieces, while Adu offers pace in behind and Kabongo looks to combine between the lines. That system will need to be even bolder if Plzen are to put a three-goal dent in Crvena Zvezda’s aggregate advantage.
Crvena Zvezda’s home performance in the first leg underlined their credentials. Before facing Plzen, they crushed Larne 9–0 on aggregate in Champions League qualifying, demonstrating their attacking firepower on European nights. Riera’s side have a blend of physicality and directness that troubled Plzen throughout the 90 minutes in Belgrade. With no away goals rule, any Plzen concession would make an improbable comeback even harder. The Serbian side’s defensive organisation will be tested, but they travel with real belief.
The opening 20 minutes will set the tone. Plzen need to take risks early, with Ladra’s delivery from wide areas and Hrošovský’s dead-ball ability likely to be their most reliable routes to goal. Crvena Zvezda, meanwhile, will rely on their full-strength spine to absorb pressure and look for transitions that could kill the tie. How Plzen balance all-out attack with the need to avoid a sucker punch will decide whether the contest stays alive into the final stages.
A place in the Europa League group stage is the prize. Plzen face an enormous task, but a fast start could sow doubt in a Crvena Zvezda side that has not conceded in this tie so far. The second leg kicks off with the Czech side knowing only a near-perfect performance will keep their European campaign alive.
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