UEFA has shortened the list of potential opponents for Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League qualifiers. Red Star, as the Serbian champion, will start from the second qualifying round and will be among the seeded teams. Potential opponents include teams like Žalgiris, Hamrun Spartans, Pafos, Levadia, Vikingur, Lincoln, and Red Imps. Red Star’s general director, Zvezdan Terzić, expressed a wish to avoid political tensions with the Croatian club Rijeka and also prefers to avoid Pafos due to its international squad. The club’s goal is to enter the Champions League, and Red Star enters the qualifiers as a favorite.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning outlets tend to emphasize the sporting aspects and the challenges faced by Red Star in the qualifiers, highlighting the political tensions as a secondary concern. They focus on the club’s ambitions and the importance of fair play and sportsmanship.
Center: Centrist sources report the facts straightforwardly, focusing on the list of potential opponents, the draw process, and the club’s preparations. They mention the political tensions as a contextual factor but do not emphasize it heavily.
Right: Right-leaning media often highlight the political tensions, especially the desire to avoid Croatian teams due to historical and political reasons. They may frame the situation in terms of national pride and the importance of Red Star representing Serbia strongly in European competitions.
