Crvena Zvezda vs Pafos: UEFA Champions League Prediction (19.08.2025)

On August 19, 2025, at 21:00 CEST, the first leg of the Champions League qualification final between Crvena Zvezda and Pafos will take place. Bookmakers consider the home team as favorites. However, the Cypriot side was also considered underdogs in the previous round and are now just one step away from the group stage. Let’s review the current form of both teams and provide our match prediction.

Crvena Zvezda

Vladan Milojević confidently leads his team both in the Champions League qualification and on the domestic front. The “Red and Whites” started the European campaign from the second round. In the first stage, the team easily overcame Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps. After a relatively quiet away win (1:0), the Serbs dominated at home – 5:1. In the semifinals, Crvena Zvezda defeated Polish side Lech – 3:1 away and 1:1 at home. It is worth noting that the main central defender, Rodrigo, received a red card and will miss the upcoming match.

Pafos

The Cypriot side was given little chance to reach the qualification final. Almost all of their matches are played as underdogs. Starting from the second round, Pafos faced Maccabi Tel Aviv, who were slightly favored. However, the Cypriot team held a draw at home, exploited a sending-off in the opponent’s lineup during the first half, and secured a narrow win. In the next round against Dinamo, Pafos was considered a clear outsider, but Juan Karsedo’s squad proved stronger, winning 1:0 away and 2:0 at home. The team demonstrated organized play and the ability to execute fast counterattacks. They also have physically strong players who perform well on set pieces.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

There is no previous head-to-head record. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Prediction

For the Crvena Zvezda – Pafos match, our forecast favors the visiting team. The Cypriot side shows good form and is capable of challenging their upcoming opponents. Therefore, a bet on Pafos +1 handicap at odds of 1.62 looks interesting.