Malmö vs Crvena Zvezda prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups - 22 January 2026
One of the matches of the seventh round of the Europa League group stage will take place on Thursday at the Eleda Stadium in Malmö, where the local side will host Serbian powerhouse Crvena Zvezda. Both teams have recently changed head coaches, and the upcoming clash will be a major test of their resilience. Here’s a betting tip on the outcome of this encounter with solid chances for success.
Match preview
The Swedish club has already lost hope of reaching the playoffs: in six rounds, they’ve managed to collect just one point and are at the bottom of the table. Malmö haven’t won a single Europa League match since the start of the campaign, and their attacking output has been lackluster - just three goals scored all season. New manager Miguel Ángel Ramírez inherited a team in disarray and is essentially using the European fixtures as preparation for the start of the domestic championship.
Despite the return of several players from injury, the squad is far from optimal. Defender Jens Stryger Larsen is sidelined due to concussion, while the recently recovered Arnór Sigurðsson is still not fit to play more than a half. Given their lack of attacking threat and shaky defense, Malmö’s chances of even snatching a draw look slim.
The Serbian giants have also undergone a coaching change: Dejan Stanković, who previously led the club to silverware, has replaced Vladan Milojević. His return coincides with a crucial phase of the season, as "Zvezda" are fighting for top spot in the national league and a Europa League playoff berth. The team sits mid-table in the group stage but has a realistic shot at breaking into the top eight.
The Serbian lineup has remained largely unchanged, which allowed Stanković to quickly restore order. Radonjić and Lučić, who hadn’t seen much playing time before, could become surprise attacking weapons. The main improvement, however, is at the back: three consecutive Europa League clean sheets have restored the team’s confidence and enabled them to pick up points even in low-scoring affairs.
Probable lineups
- Malmö: Hallberg, Busanello, Rösler, Jansson, Karlsson, Bolin, Busuladžić, Johnsen, Hakšabanović, Suma, Botheim
- Crvena Zvezda: Mateus, Yong Wu, Veljković, Rodrigan, Tiknizyan, Krunić, Elšnik, Hendel, Ivanić, Milson, Arnautović
Match facts and head-to-head
- Malmö have yet to win a single match in this season’s Europa League.
- Crvena Zvezda have kept three consecutive clean sheets in European competition.
- This is the first-ever meeting between these sides in European tournaments.
Prediction
This match means different things for each side: for Malmö it’s more of a tune-up, while for Crvena Zvezda it’s a chance to solidify their spot in the knockout zone or even push for direct advancement. The Serbians are showing defensive stability and are finding their rhythm. Given Malmö’s lack of firepower, a narrow away win for the visitors seems the logical prediction.
