Levi Rothermund
Red Star Belgrade arrive at the Hofmann Personal Stadion in Linz as heavy favorites against Austrian second-tier side FC Blau Weiss Linz. This pre-season friendly carries a familiar storyline: a Serbian giant using the summer window to sharpen its squad against domestic opposition from a lower competitive tier. What makes this one worth watching is that these two sides have met before in the exact same competition. Back in July 2025, the match ended 2-2, a result that surprised plenty of people given the gulf in class. Crvena Zvezda, managed by Dejan Stankovic, will want a more convincing performance this time around.
On the Linz side, Michael Köllner’s team has been inconsistent all year, winning just 5 of 20 matches in 2026. Their form strip reads poorly, with losses outnumbering wins in recent weeks. The one player to watch on the Linz side is whoever Köllner trusts to lead the press from midfield, as their best results this year came from high-energy, disruptive play against lower-ranked Austrian opponents. For Red Star, forward depth and squad rotation will be the story, but keep an eye on the central midfield organizer Stankovic deploys to control tempo in these warm-up fixtures, as Red Star’s best pre-season results in this window came when they dominated possession early.
Hot stat: Crvena Zvezda have gone unbeaten in their last 7 matches across all competitions, including a 5-0 win over Jedinstvo Putevi, a 2-1 result against Amstetten, and a draw with Slovan Bratislava. That run covers three matches in the last 30 days alone, giving them a clear conditioning edge over Linz, who have not played a single match in the past month.
| 🏆 Tournament: | International Club Friendly 2026, July Phase |
| 🏟 Venue: | Hofmann Personal Stadion, Linz |
| 🗓️ Date: | 03.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 17:00 CEST |
FC Blau Weiss Linz vs Crvena Zvezda Prediction
The clearest value here sits with Crvena Zvezda to win. The Serbian side ranks 53rd in the world club rankings, while Linz sits at a dramatically lower level. Red Star have been active and sharp in pre-season, while Linz enter this match with zero competitive minutes in the last 30 days. That kind of rustiness tends to show immediately against high-pressing, technically organized sides.
The 2025 friendly between these teams ended 2-2, and that scoreline flatters Linz. Red Star will likely rotate their squad, but even a rotated Red Star squad carries too much quality for a team that has won only 25% of their games in 2026. We think a comfortable Red Star win is the most likely outcome, with goals coming relatively early once Linz’s defensive shape starts to tire.
In terms of style, Crvena Zvezda’s recent matches show they are patient in possession and disciplined with their pressing. Linz, by contrast, have been prone to conceding in bunches during losing streaks, as seen in their 0-3 defeat to Grazer AK and 0-2 loss to Ried. Red Star will likely commit fewer fouls and maintain better pass accuracy, which historically translates to sustained pressure and multiple scoring chances over 90 minutes.
- Best Bet: Crvena Zvezda to Win
- Value Pick: Crvena Zvezda to Win & Over 2.5 Goals
- Avoid: FC Blau Weiss Linz Win or Draw at standard odds
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Crvena Zvezda to score in both halves |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | Yes |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 8.5 |
Team Analysis
FC Blau Weiss Linz have had a difficult 2026 campaign overall. Their last five results paint a picture of a team that struggles to hold shape against quality opposition. The most recent match, a 0-3 home defeat to Grazer AK, exposed their defensive frailty. Before that, a 1-1 draw with Tirol offered brief hope, but the 0-2 loss to Ried that preceded it confirmed the pattern. Their two wins in this stretch, 3-0 against Altach and 3-0 against Wolfsberger, came against lower-ranked sides, which tells you a lot about their ceiling. With no match activity in the last 30 days, match sharpness will be a genuine concern on Thursday.
Crvena Zvezda enter this match in solid form. Their most recent outing, a 1-1 draw with Slovan Bratislava, was against a well-organized side ranked 209th globally, so the result is more respectable than it might look. Before that, they beat Amstetten 2-1 and dismantled Jedinstvo Putevi 5-0. Honestly, the 5-0 win stands out as the most telling performance in this run: Red Star pressed high, moved the ball quickly, and created chances in volume. Their only blip in recent memory was a 1-2 loss to OFK Beograd, but they bounced back immediately with three unbeaten results. With a 67% win rate over the last 30 days and a 70% win rate for the year, Stankovic’s side arrives in far better condition than their hosts.
🚨Check out our dedicated FC Blau Weiss Linz vs Crvena Zvezda stats page for more info.
FC Blau Weiss Linz. Source: Official Website
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Crvena Zvezda the Favourite
No bookmaker odds were supplied for this fixture. Based on the available team data and historical head-to-head context, here is our estimated probability breakdown:
- Moneyline FC Blau Weiss Linz N/A | Crvena Zvezda N/A
- Draw N/A
- Over/Under Over 2.5 N/A | Under 2.5 N/A
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes N/A | No N/A
The previous H2H meeting in July 2025 saw bookmakers price Linz at 22% and Red Star at just 20%, with draw probability sitting at 57%. That unusually balanced pricing for a friendly reflected uncertainty about squad selection. This time, Red Star’s superior form and match fitness tip the balance more clearly in their favor. We think the draw probability should be considerably lower this time around, and Red Star’s win percentage should be closer to 55-60% given the context.
Possible Starting Lineups
FC Blau Weiss Linz Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Tobias Lawal
- DF: Tobias Koch, Markus Rusek, Niklas Müller, Lukas Fadinger
- MF: Ronivaldo Bernardo, Marin Jakolis, Nils Rosenberger
- FW: Ronaldo Beku, Nik Prelec, Marin Ljubičić
With no detailed lineup data provided, this is our best estimate of a 4-3-3 setup based on Köllner’s typical preferences at Linz. The Austrian side tends to play with a flat back four and relies on central midfield compactness to stay organized. Prelec up front offers pace on the counter, which may be Linz’s primary outlet against a Red Star side that pushes numbers forward. The lack of match time in recent weeks means some positions could be rotated or filled by youth squad players.
Crvena Zvezda Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Omri Glazer
- DF: Strahinja Eraković, Milan Gajić, Nemanja Milunović, Aleksa Terzić
- MF: Mirko Ivanić, Silas Songolo, Guélor Kanga
- FW: Osman Bukari, El Fardou Ben Nabouhane, Aleksandar Katai
Stankovic will likely rotate heavily in this fixture, but the spine of his 4-3-3 should remain recognizable. Eraković at center-back provides the defensive leadership, while Kanga and Ivanić give Red Star control of the midfield zone. Bukari is the player to watch up front: he is direct, fast, and capable of creating problems for any Austrian lower-league backline. This formation suits Red Star’s pressing style and gives them enough width to stretch Linz’s defensive shape from the first whistle.
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Crvena Zvezda. Source: Official Website
TipsGG Match Prediction
Red Star Belgrade should win this match without too much difficulty. Linz have not played in a month, their 2026 record is poor, and their only competitive wins came against sides ranked well below Red Star’s level. The 2025 friendly ended 2-2, but that result came with different squad conditions and maybe some complacency from the Serbian side. Stankovic will want a sharper result this time.
Red Star’s recent form is strong. Three matches in the last 30 days, two wins and a draw, shows they are match-fit and organized. Their 5-0 win over Jedinstvo Putevi demonstrated attacking fluency, and even their draw with Slovan Bratislava showed defensive discipline. We think the final score lands somewhere around 2-0 or 3-1 in Red Star’s favor. Linz may nick a goal from a set piece or counter, but controlling this match for 90 minutes is beyond their current capacity.
Our tip is Crvena Zvezda to win and over 2.5 goals in the match.
