Match outlook: noise, nerves and a packed Stadion Rajko Mitić
Crvena Zvezda welcome Celta de Vigo to Stadion Rajko Mitić in what promises to be an intense Europa League night on 29/01/2026. The Belgrade venue, with a listed capacity of 55,538, sets the stage for a fixture where home advantage could be decisive. Bookmakers have Crvena Zvezda as slight favourites at 2.25, with Celta available at 2.95 and the draw priced near 3.50 — numbers that reflect a contest finely balanced between home resilience and away attacking intent.
Crvena Zvezda arrive with encouraging form: seven wins from their last ten in the latest report and a narrow 1-0 victory away to Malmö FF in their most recent Europa League outing. Their defensive solidity at home is notable, with four clean sheets and just one goal conceded in domestic home records provided. That stitched-together defensive record suggests they are hard to break down inside the Stadion Rajko Mitić walls.
Celta’s attacking thrill versus defensive questions
Celta de Vigo offer the contrasting narrative: a side that produces goals in buckets. Across their group campaign they’ve scored 14 and conceded 10 in seven matches, and the statistical footprint shows every one of their matches producing more than 2.5 goals (over25Perc at 100%). Their recent sequence includes emphatic wins — a 4-1 triumph over Valencia and a 3-0 win against Rayo Vallecano — but also a bitter 3-1 defeat at Real Sociedad just days before this tie. That mix of attacking potency and defensive fragility makes them a dangerous opponent who can both score and concede in volume.
For Crvena Zvezda, the story is about structure and controlled attacks: their average of over five corners and a steady supply of shots inside the box underline a team capable of creating regular pressure. Celta, conversely, register higher totals of shots on target and dangerous attacks, making them the greater threat in open play.
Tactical edge and betting context
Expect a tug-of-war between Crvena Zvezda’s organized home shape and Celta’s willingness to engage in open, goal-filled games. The bookmakers’ lean towards the home win reflects Belgrade’s familiar territory and Crvena Zvezda’s recent European results, but Celta’s scoring record means this is unlikely to be a low-key stalemate. Young-woo Seol was highlighted as Crvena Zvezda’s top performer in the Malmö clash, while Hugo Sotelo was Celta’s best-rated player in their Real Sociedad outing — reminders that match-winners can emerge from either side.
If you want to deepen your approach to when to back goals or manage stake pressure, consider reading guidance on the right time to place bets on goal markets and how and when to hedge in sports betting to protect profits in volatile fixtures like this one.
Betting suggestion: Over 2.5 goals (Goal market)
Given Celta’s unrelenting high-scoring profile across their group matches and Crvena Zvezda’s recent willingness to both press and carve out chances, the most attractive single-market play is the goals market. The away side’s matches have consistently cleared the 2.5 line, and combined with the home team’s attacking output at Rajko Mitić, Over 2.5 goals looks the most value-driven option ahead of kick-off.
