"Abu Fani and Arnautovic were saved for Red Star's moment of truth"
Red Star Belgrade will try to make a comeback tonight (Tuesday, 21:00, Sport1) against Hapoel Be'er Sheva. After a 1:0 loss in Hungary, in a match the club defined as "our worst since the start of the season," the Serbs expect massive support from the fans at the Marakana, with the goal of reaching the Champions League qualification playoff round. The winner will face the winner of the match between Denmark's Aarhus and Azerbaijan's Sabah, while the loser will play in the Europa League playoff against the Czech Republic's Viktoria Plzen. Muhammad Abu Fani, the Israel national team midfielder who was one of three players substituted at halftime last week, is expected to return to Dejan Stankovic's lineup.
Red Star Belgrade will try to make a comeback tonight (Tuesday, 21:00, Sport1) against Hapoel Be'er Sheva. After a 1:0 loss in Hungary, in a match the club defined as "our worst since the start of the season," the Serbs expect massive support from the fans at the Marakana, with the goal of reaching the Champions League qualification playoff round. The winner will face the winner of the match between Denmark's Aarhus and Azerbaijan's Sabah, while the loser will play in the Europa League playoff against the Czech Republic's Viktoria Plzen.
Muhammad Abu Fani, the Israel national team midfielder who was one of three players substituted at halftime last week, is expected to return to Dejan Stankovic's lineup. In the 2:0 win over Novi Pazar, he played 17 minutes as a substitute, while Timi Max Elsnik, who competes with him for the spot, played a full match and therefore will likely not start this time. Muhammad Cham is competing for a spot in the lineup with Vasilije Kostov.
Someone who did not play at all in the league is Marko Arnautovic. The 37-year-old Austrian striker receives the highest salary ever given to a player at the club, and will likely receive a spot in the attack tonight to justify the salary, while Brazilian Bruno Duarte or captain Mirko Ivanic will move to the bench.
"He and Abu Fani were saved for the moment of truth," was written in the Serbian media. "When will they play if not now?"
Stankovic did not agree to talk yesterday at the press conference about the lineup, except for the confirmation he gave regarding Derrick Luckassen remaining in the 11. The coach said about the ex-Maccabi Tel Aviv player:
"Luckassen will start, that I can reveal to you. I know what he is worth and what he can give us. I would stand behind my players a million times."
Predicted lineup: Mateus, Seol Young-woo, Derrick Luckassen, Strahinja Erakovic, Nair Tiknizyan, Rade Krunic, Muhammad Abu Fani, Vasilije Kostov, Osman Bukari, Bruno Duarte (Mirko Ivanic), Marko Arnautovic.
