Larne to Face Red Star Belgrade in Champions League Tie

Larne boss Gary Haveron has described their upcoming Champions League tie against Red Star Belgrade as a 'free hit' for his side. The Irish Premiership champions will face the Serbian giants at Inver Park on July 21.

What Happened?

Larne progressed to the second qualifying round for the first time courtesy of a 3-1 aggregate win over San Marino side Tre Fiori. The Inver Reds came from behind to win the second leg 2-1 at Inver Park, securing their first Champions League win.

Why it Matters for Larne

Haveron's side will now welcome Red Star, who played in the league phase of the Champions League as recently as the 2024-25 campaign, to Larne for the first leg. The tie is seen as a 'free hit' for Larne, as people won't expect too much from the Northern Irish side.

What Comes Next?

Larne will look to impose themselves on the game and try to get a result against the Serbian giants. Haveron's side will pay respect to Red Star but will try to be as competitive as possible. The tie is a huge draw for Larne, and they will look to showcase what they're about against a historical and massive football club.

Larne's Recent Form

Larne are currently 1st in the Northern Ireland Premiership, with 73 points from 33 games. They have a 4-point lead at the top of the table and are on a 2-game winning run. The team has scored 60 goals this season and conceded 22, with a +38 goal difference.

Larne's recent form has been impressive, with 3 wins and 2 draws in their last 5 games. They will look to continue their good form against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League tie.

Last Result

Larne's last result was an 8-0 win over Dungannon Swifts on April 25, 2026. The team will look to build on this momentum against the Serbian giants.

In an interview with BBC Sport NI, Haveron said: 'I’m beyond proud we can bring a club like that to these shores, to Northern Ireland and we can showcase what we’re about. It's a huge draw, they're a historical and massive football club.'

He added: 'It's seen as a free hit for us because people won't expect too much, we'll go and try be as competitive as we possibly can. We'll pay them the respect but we'll try impose ourselves on the game and see what we can do. We're maybe not shoulder to shoulder with them but while we're on the pitch we'll try our best to get a result.'

Larne will face Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League tie on July 21, and they will look to make a good impression against the Serbian giants.