Red Star Belgrade legend rallies support ahead of Celtic match

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The Celtic Star

·20 septembre 2025

Red Star Belgrade legend rallies support ahead of Celtic match

Red Star Belgrade’s sporting director and club legend Mitar Mrkela has appealed to their fans to fill the Marakana Stadium for Wednesday’s Europa League opener against Celtic…

Cherif Ndiaye (C) of Crvena Zvezda celebrates after scoring a goal with team mates during the Serbian SuperLiga season 2024/2025 match between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan at Rajko Mitic Stadium on February 22, 2025 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

He explained that his deep respect for the Hoops comes from having faced them on the pitch earlier in his career.

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Next week, Celtic begin their Europa League journey in Serbia against Red Star, who are in action this evening in their Eternal Derby clash with Partizan Belgrade.

Mrkela is keen to see the stadium full, noting his fondness for Celtic stems from featuring in a 1988 centenary friendly at Celtic Park that ended in a 2-2 draw between the two sides. For those who remember, Celtic and Red Star met on Boxing Day of the Centenary season with a respectable 21,500 crowd turning up on a cold, wintery night in Glasgow. Andy Walker scored both goals for Billy McNeill’s men.

Celtic 2-2 Red Star Belgrade, Friendly Match in Celtic’s centenary season. 26 December 1988. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Now, speaking via the Newsquest owned mainstream media site The Celtic Way, Mrkela – who played in the friendly match 37 years ago – said: “The fans are the key to winning the match against Celtic and I ask as many supporters as possible to attend the game and help us.”

“We have a tough match with Celtic, which is a club with a rich tradition who are always a quality and demanding opponent.”

Ibrahim Zubairu (C) of Partizan celebrates after scoring a goal with team mates during the Serbian SuperLiga season 2024/2025 match between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan at Rajko Mitic Stadium on February 22, 2025 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

Mrkela added: “I had the opportunity to play a friendly match against them at the celebration of the club’s centenary and since then I have always had fond memories and also great respect for that team.”

“I am sure that we will also have a real spectacle at the Marakana. The support of the fans has always been crucial for Red Star and that is why I invite them to come to the stadium in as large a number as possible.”

Fans of Crvena Zvezda light flares during the Serbian SuperLiga season 2024/2025 match between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan at Rajko Mitic Stadium on February 22, 2025 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

“Together we can create an atmosphere that will give our footballers a boost and help them achieve another great result.”

Conor Spence

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