Crvena Zvezda vs Lincoln Red Imps: UEFA Champions League Prediction (30.07.2025)

On July 30, 2025, at 02:00 WIB, the second leg of the UEFA Champions League qualification quarterfinal between Crvena Zvezda and Lincoln Red Imps will take place. Somewhat surprisingly, the tie remains open after the first leg. But the question remains: can the team from Gibraltar deliver another competitive performance, this time away from home? Bookmakers consider this highly unlikely, giving the visitors extreme underdog status with odds on their win exceeding 29.00. Let’s see whether things are as one-sided as they seem and give our prediction for the match.

Crvena Zvezda

The Serbian champions face little to no domestic competition, making European tournaments their main testing ground. Last season, Crvena Zvezda collected 100 points in the league, losing just one match and finishing 27 points ahead of their nearest rivals. The new season has started just as brightly, with a 4-0 win over newly promoted opposition in the opening round. A similarly dominant performance was expected in their European clash with the relatively weaker team from Gibraltar. The “Red-Whites” took the lead in the 30th minute, but a red card shown to Korean defender Seol just before halftime forced the Serbs to adopt a more cautious approach. The first-half goal remained the only one in the match.

Lincoln Red Imps

The team from Gibraltar has done quite well in this season’s Champions League qualification. In the first round, Lincoln defeated Vikingur from the Faroe Islands in both legs. In their latest outing, they surprisingly managed to keep Crvena Zvezda to just a 1-0 result. While a narrow loss keeps the tie alive, the gap in experience between the two teams is substantial. Crvena Zvezda played in the Champions League group stage last season, while for Lincoln, even making it past the first qualifying round is considered a success. Moreover, in the return leg, their opponents will have a full squad and the support of home fans.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

Last week’s match marked the first-ever meeting between the two sides. Crvena Zvezda won away with a 1-0 scoreline.

Prediction

In the Crvena Zvezda vs Lincoln Red Imps match, the prediction favors the home side. Expect the Serbian team to start aggressively from the first minutes to establish a comfortable lead without unnecessary stress. Therefore, we recommend betting on a goal being scored between the 1st and 15th minute at odds of 2.35.