Matchday 1 of the new league phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League brings together two former European champions as Crvena Zvezda face Benfica in Belgrade.

The Serbian side lifted the trophy in 1991 while Benfica triumphed in 1961 and 1962 – and have since lost a further five finals.

Crvena Zvezda had to wait until 2018 to feature in the UEFA Champions League proper but are now making their fourth appearance in eight seasons. Benfica, meanwhile, have made it this far for the fourth consecutive campaign and have featured in 14 of the last 15 seasons, although they have reached the knockout stages only five times in that run.

Previous meetings

1984/85 European Cup first round

Crvena Zvezda 3-2 Benfica

Benfica 2-0 Crvena Zvezda

Crvena Zvezda came from 0-2 down to win the first leg at Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade, Marko Elsner's 26th-minute own goal and Diamantino (41) having put Benfica in control at half-time. However, Rajko Janjanin's penalty halved the deficit three minutes before the hour and another spot kick from the same player levelled in the 76th minute, the midfielder completing his hat-trick two minutes later.

Benfica, however, progressed thanks to late goals from Diamantino again (74) and Carlos Manuel (79) in the Lisbon return.

Form guide

Crvena Zvezda

Record vs Portuguese clubs: W2 D3 L2 F7 A9

Home record vs Portuguese clubs: W2 D1 L0

Crvena Zvezda last crossed paths with a Portuguese club in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League group stage, beating Braga 2-1 at home before a 1-1 away draw.

That extended their record of having never lost at home to visitors from Portugal – they drew 0-0 against the same opponents in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup first round first leg – although that 2021 victory is their only win in their last six matches with Portuguese clubs, home or away (D3 L2).

The Belgrade side have reached the Champions League proper for the fourth time – all since 2018/19.

Crvena Zvezda finished fourth in Group G in 2023/24, behind Manchester City, Leipzig and Young Boys. They lost five of their six games, the exception a 2-2 home draw against the Swiss side on Matchday 2.

The Serbian club started their 2024/25 European campaign in the play-offs, turning round a 2-1 first-leg loss at Bodø/Glimt with a 2-0 home win against the Norwegian champions to progress.

A 1-3 Matchday 6 loss to Manchester City last season is one of only four defeats in Crvena Zvezda's last 21 home European matches (W12 D5).

European champions in 1991, Crvena Zvezda claimed their seventh successive league title – and 35th championship overall – in 2023/24, also winning the Serbian Cup for the fourth season in a row.

Benfica

Record vs Serbian clubs: W1 D0 L1 F4 A3

Away record vs Serbian clubs: W0 D0 L1

Those 1984 games against Crvena Zvezda are Benfica's only previous experience of Serbian opposition.

This is Benfica's 19th appearance in the Champions League proper, and a 14th in the last 15 seasons.

The Eagles reached successive quarter-finals in 2021/22 and 2022/23 but were unable to progress to the knockout rounds last season, finishing third in Group D behind Real Sociedad and Inter Milan – though a 3-1 victory at Salzburg on Matchday 6 did give them a UEFA Europa League place at the expense of the Austrian side.

A side coached by Roger Schmidt side beat Toulouse (2-1 aggregate) and Rangers (3-2 agg) to reach the Europa League quarter-finals, where Marseille ended their run (2-2 agg, 2-4 pens).

Despite last season's defeats at Inter (0-1), Real Sociedad (1-3) and Marseille (0-1), Benfica have suffered only five losses in their last 24 European games outside Lisbon (W10 D9).

European champions in 1961 and 1962, beating Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, Benfica have lost in five other European Cup finals, most recently in 1990.

The Lisbon club let slip their Portuguese Liga title in 2023/24, finishing second, ten points behind local rivals Sporting CP.

Benfica parted company with Schmidt, who had been in charge since 2022, on 31 August. On 5 September they named Bruno Lage, who was previously head coach between January 2019 and July 2020, as his replacement.

Links and trivia

Crvena Zvezda defender Nemanja Radonjić spent 2021/22 at Benfica on loan from Marseille, scoring one goal in ten appearances.

Have played in Portugal:

Felício Milson (Marítimo 2019–22)

Bruno Duarte (Vitória SC 2019–22, Farense 2023/24)

Dálcio Gomes (Sporting CP youth 2008–10, Belenenses 2012–15, Benfica B 2015–19, Belenenses 2015 loan, Belenenses SAD 2018/19 loan)

Have played together:

Dálcio Gomes & Renato Sanches (Portugal Under-19, Benfica 2015/16)

Dálcio Gomes & Florentino Luís (Benfica B 2015–17)

Bruno Duarte scored from the penalty spot in Vitória SC's 1-3 home defeat against Benfica on 25 September 2021; the following month he was on target in a 3-3 home draw against the Eagles in the Portuguese League Cup.

International team-mates:

Nasser Djiga & Issa Kaboré (Burkina Faso)

Dálcio Gomes was born in Almada, close to Lisbon, and played for Portugal at Under-19 and U20 level before opting to represent Guinea-Bissau at senior level.

Latest news

Crvena Zvezda

Crvena Zvezda have won six of their five seven league games this season, scoring 21 goals and conceding four. They were 2-0 victors at home to Napredak on Saturday.

The Serbian champions scored four goals in four of their first five league matches this season, the exception the only game they did not win – a 2-2 home draw against Mladost Lučani on 27 July.

Bruno Duarte, whose penalty opened the scoring on Saturday, is Crvena Zvezda's top scorers in the league this season with five goals, one more than Cherif Ndiaye.

Eight of the Belgrade club's 21 league goals this season have been scored after the 75th minute.

Goalkeeper Omri Glazer played 90 minutes on Saturday, his first appearance this season after recovering from an adductor injury.

Vladimir Lučić has been sidelined with a knee injury since 2 March.

Benfica

Benfica have managed three wins from their first five Liga matches this season.

On Saturday, Bruno Lage's first game of his second spell in charge ended in a 4-1 home victory against Santa Clara, although Benfica had to come from behind having conceded in the first minute.

Kerem Aktürkoğlu – on his Benfica debut – Florentino, António Silva and Ángel Di María all scored their first league goals of the season on Saturday. Indeed, it was Florentino's first league goal for Benfica since 17 March 2019.

Benfica's nine league goals this season have all been scored by different players.

After losing 2-0 at Famalicão in their first league game on 11 August, the Eagles beat Casa Pia (3-0) and Estrela Amadora (1-0) at home but a 1-1 draw at Moreirense prompted the departure of coach Roger Schmidt.

Lage was announced as the new coach on 6 September, returning to the club where he won the league in 2018/19.

The defeat of Estrela Amadora on 24 August was Fredrik Aursnes' 100th Benfica appearance.

Di María announced his international retirement on 7 September, having won his 145th and last cap for Argentina in a 1-0 win against Colombia in the Copa América final on 14 July.

On 9 September Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored all Türkiye's goals in a 3-1 UEFA Nations League win against Iceland.

The previous day, Zeki Amdouni was on target as Switzerland lost 1-4 at home to Spain.

Jan-Niklas Beste has not played since 18 August due to a muscle injury, although he was an unused substitute on Saturday.

Tiago Gouveia (shoulder) and Aursnes (muscle) have both been out since 24 August.