Crvena Zvezda vs Barcelona facts

Crvena Zvezda face the considerable challenge of a buoyant Barcelona as they aim to register their first points of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League on Matchday 4.

While the Serbian champions have lost 1-2 at home to Benfica, 4-0 at Inter Milan and 5-1 at Monaco, Barça responded to their own loss at Monaco – 2-1 on Matchday 1 – with home wins against Young Boys (5-0) and Bayern München (4-1).

Previous meetings

Matches 4
Crvena Zvezda wins 0
Barcelona wins 3
Draws 1
Crvena Zvezda goals 5
Barcelona goals 10

1982/83 European Cup Winners' Cup second round
Crvena Zvezda 2-4 Barcelona
Barcelona 2-1 Crvena Zvezda
Diego Maradona and Bernd Schuster both scored twice in the Belgrade first leg, Rajko Janjanin getting two late goals for the home side. Boško Gjurovski gave Crvena Zvezda the lead at the Camp Nou but Schuster quickly levelled and Alexanko's late winner confirmed Barça's progress.

1996/97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round
Barcelona 3-1 Crvena Zvezda
Crvena Zvezda 1-1 Barcelona
Once more Crvena Zvezda took the lead in Spain, through Bratislav Živković, but a Giovanni double turned the match in Barcelona's favour before half-time and Luís Figo extended the advantage. Zoran Jovičić struck for the home side in Belgrade, Giovanni levelling a minute later.

Form guide

Crvena Zvezda 

Record vs Spanish clubs: W6 D4 L8 F22 A28
Home record vs Spanish clubs: W4 D2 L3

Crvena Zvezda have not played Spanish opposition since the 2000/01 UEFA Cup second round, when they won 1-0 in the home first leg against Celta Vigo but lost 5-3 away – a game that was subsequently awarded as a 3-0 forfeit win to the Spanish side.

That first-leg win is Crvena Zvezda's only success in five matches against Spanish sides (D1 L3) and one of only two in the last 11 (D3 L6).

Crvena Zvezda are unbeaten in their last three home games with Spanish visitors (W2 D1) although those are their only victories in the last six (D2 L2).

The Belgrade side have reached the Champions League proper for the fourth time – all since 2018/19.

Crvena Zvezda finished fourth in Group G in 2023/24, behind Manchester City, Leipzig and Young Boys, losing five of their six games.

The Serbian club started their 2024/25 campaign in the play-offs, turning round a 2-1 loss at Bodø/Glimt with a 2-0 home win against the Norwegian champions.

The Matchday 1 loss to Benfica this season was only Crvena Zvezda's fifth in their last 22 home European matches (W12 D5).

European champions in 1991, Crvena Zvezda claimed their seventh successive league title – and 35th overall – in 2023/24, also winning the Serbian Cup for the fourth season in a row.

Barcelona

Record vs Serbian clubs: W3 D1 L0 F10 A5
Away record vs Serbian clubs: W1 D1 L0

The four games against Crvena Zvezda are Barcelona's only meetings with a Serbian team.

This is Barcelona's 29th campaign in the Champions League proper, a competition record they share with Real Madrid. They have featured every season since 2003/04.

The five-time European champions reached the quarter-finals or better every season between 2007/08 and 2019/20, winning the title in 2009, 2011 and 2015, but reached the round of 16 for the first time in three campaigns in 2023/24.

Under Xavi Hernández, Barcelona finished top of their section and then beat Napoli in the round of 16 (1-1 a, 3-1 h). They won 3-2 at Paris in the first leg of the quarter-finals and then went 1-0 up in the return, but ultimately lost 1-4 to bow out.

Barcelona have won only 15 of their last 37 away European matches (D10 L12).

The Catalan club relinquished their Liga title in 2023/24, finishing second ten points behind Real Madrid.

Barcelona replaced Xavi with former Bayern and Germany coach Hansi Flick in the summer.

Links and trivia

Flick was in charge of the Bayern side that won 6-0 at Crvena Zvezda on Matchday 5 of the 2019/20 Champions League, Robert Lewandowski scoring four goals.

Have played in Spain:
Stefan Leković (Villarreal B 2023/24 loan)
Aleksandar Katai (Alavés 2016–18)
Nemanja Radonjić (Mallorca 2024)

Katai was in the Alavés side beaten 6-0 at home by Barcelona in La Liga on 11 February 2017.

Dani Olmo was on target in Leipzig's 3-1 home win against Crvena Zvezda in the 2023/24 Champions League group stage.

On 5 September Olmo and Lamine Yamal started Spain's 0-0 draw in Serbia in the UEFA Nations League. Pedri and Ferran Torres came on in the second half while Marko Ilić was an unused Serbia substitute.

On 15 October Pau Cubarsí and Pedri were second-half substitutes as Spain won 3-0 at home to Serbia. Andrija Maksimović was an unused substitute for the visitors.

Latest news

Crvena Zvezda

Crvena Zvezda have won 12 of their 13 league games this season, scoring 43 goals and conceding eight. They were 3-0 victors at home to Vojvodina on Sunday.

The Serbian champions have scored four or more goals in seven of their 13 league matches, beating Radnički Niš and Spartak Subotica both 5-1 in the two before the weekend.

Cherif Ndiaye, who scored the third on Sunday, is Crvena Zvezda's top scorer in the league this season with nine goals.

Crvena Zvezda were 7-0 winners at Tekstilac Odžaci in the last 32 of the Serbian Cup on 30 October, Aleksandar Katai scoring a hat-trick and 18-year-old Uroš Sremčević getting two. Andrija Maksimović, 17, scored his first Crvena Zvezda goal and also opened the scoring on Sunday.

Peter Olayinka suffered an Achilles injury on Matchday 3 and has not played since.

Ognjen Mimović has not played since being replaced in the first half on Matchday 1 with a metatarsal injury.

Barcelona

Barça have won 11 of their 12 Liga games this season, beating city rivals Espanyol 3-1 on Sunday. Dani Olmo got two goals, making it four in his first five Liga appearances from just six shots on target.

Barcelona have scored 40 goals in the league, their second highest total after 12 games, behind the record of 42 set in 1950/51.

They were 4-0 victors at champions Real Madrid on 26 October, when Robert Lewandowski's double made it 14 league goals for the season – just five behind his 2023/24 total. He has 17 club goals in all competitions in 2023/24.

Raphinha, who was also on target at Madrid and against Espanyol, has seven Liga goals this season – 11 in all competitions – one more than his 2023/24 total after only 12 games.

Lamine Yamal's goal against Real Madrid made him the youngest player to score in El Clásico at the age of 17 years 358 days. On 28 October 2023, at the age of 16 years 107 days, he became the youngest player to play in the fixture.

Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen tore the patellar tendon in his right knee in a 5-1 win at Villarreal on 22 September and is likely to be out for several months.

Andreas Christensen has been out since 17 August with an Achilles injury.

Marc Bernal is not expected to play this season after suffering a serious knee injury against Rayo Vallecano on 27 August.

Ronald Araújo has not played since 6 July due to a muscular injury.

Ferran Torres suffered a muscular injury against Alavés on 6 October and has not played since.