Crvena zvezda vs PSV prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-01-20 20:00.
[p]Red Star Belgrade’s ambitions to get out of the group/league phase of a UEFA Champions League (UCL) for the first time were slashed by a shattering 2-1 loss to AC Milan. They head into the final two matchdays five points behind the top-24, meaning they’ll need a pair of victories and even more miraculous results elsewhere to scrape into the next round. [/p]
[p]During the Serbian winter break, they kept themselves in shape with a training camp in sunny Antalya that saw them score 19 and concede eight goals across five friendlies (W4, D1). Their UCL campaign has also been similarly entertaining, featuring a joint-high average of 4.83 total goals per match, with the Red-Whites scoring in all three home games (W1, L2) despite being underdogs on each occasion. [/p]
[p]PSV will assume favouritism in Belgrade but are by no means guaranteed to progress to the knockout stages having won just two of their six matches this term (D2, L2). They’ve also had a difficult return to work post-Christmas, not only failing to win two Eredivisie games as warm favourites (D1, L1) but needing extra time to get past second-tier Excelsior (W 5-4) in their national cup. [/p]
[p]With eight goals to their name and nine against in just three games this calendar year, there’s no disputing which end of the pitch needs improving. The likelihood of PSV securing their first continental away clean sheet in any UEFA competition since 2021/22 (W4, D5, L6) therefore appears to be slim, even if the front third can still propel the team to victory. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Red Star’s Cherif Ndiaye brings some strong form into this game, scoring in their last two league games of 2024 as well as in two of his three training camp appearances. Malik Tillman is PSV’s leading goalscorer of this league stage and found the net in four of his last eight matches (G5), starting with a double in this competition against Shakhtar. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: The two prior H2Hs in 2004/05 saw five total goals scored in each game, with the hosts on the day victorious on each occasion![/p]
[p][i]Written by Aaron Murphy[/i][/p]