Lugano vs Red Star: German Badstubner to referee
UEFA has named the officials for Red Star Belgrade's first Conference League match, and the competition's official ball has already arrived at the Rajko Mitic stadium.
Two days remain until Lugano vs Red Star Belgrade, and the competition’s official ball has already arrived at the Rajko Mitic stadium. The club posted a photo of it on social media with the message: “The Conference League ball is at Marakana.”
The post appeared on the club’s official Instagram account (@crvenazvezdafk). The message is short but carries two pieces of information: the ball is in Belgrade, and the opening opponent is Lugano. In the same post, the red-whites remind fans that their first match in this competition is on Thursday in Switzerland. The same day, UEFA announced who will officiate.
Who referees Lugano vs Red Star?
The European football governing body said German official Florian Badstubner will take charge of the opening-round league phase match in the Conference League. The officiating team looks like this:
- referee: Florian Badstubner (Germany)
- assistant referees: Sven Vasicki and Filip Hive, both compatriots of the referee
- fourth official: Florian Exner
- VAR room: Kristijan Dingert and Patrik Hanslbauer, also Germans
The fourth official’s country was not given, but the referee, both assistants and both VAR officials are German. Of the six named officials, five come from Germany. Since this is the first round of the league phase, Badstubner and his team open Red Star’s European run in this competition.
When is the match, and when does Red Star travel?
The match is on Thursday, October 15, at 18:45. The Serbian champions’ delegation leaves for Switzerland a day earlier, on Wednesday.
For Red Star, it is the start of a new European chapter. Marakana, as fans call the Rajko Mitic stadium, has received the new competition’s ball, and before heading to Switzerland the team beat Radnicki in the domestic league with a second-half comeback.
What awaits Red Star after Lugano?
After the trip to Switzerland comes a home match. At the Rajko Mitic stadium, the red-whites host Copenhagen. The other opponents in the league phase are:
- Trabzon
- Iberia
- Gent
- Inter Escaldes
It is known that the away match at Lugano is followed by Copenhagen at Marakana. Dates for Trabzon, Iberia, Gent and Inter Escaldes were not given in the reports that accompanied the announcement of the officials and the ball.
Until then, two days remain: the team travels Wednesday and plays Thursday. The next date is clear: Thursday, October 15, 18:45, Lugano vs Red Star Belgrade, with Badstubner holding the whistle.
