Red Star drops points as Partizan stay on course for elusive Serbian SuperLiga title

Red Star Belgrade has won the Serbian SuperLiga for six straight seasons. At the start of the season, they looked in prime shape to extend their domestic dominance.

Red Star picked up ten wins from their opening ten fixtures. However, the struggles began mid-season as pressure from European competitions and injuries in the squad caused them to drop points.

Losing crucial points in the league has seen them fall behind Partizan Belgrade by two points, despite playing an extra game.

Red Star dropping vital points

Red Star has lost just once this season. The defeat came in a 2-1 home loss to Radnick Surdulica. They have dropped four points against Surdulica this season - a 12th-placed team in the division that is fighting relegation this term. This includes Monday night's 1-1 draw as well.

Two additional draws have penalized them greatly this season, given Partiza's red-hot form.

Partizan's dominant league run

Partizan has been in amazing form this season and is the only unbeaten team in the division.

After missing out on winning the league in the last six seasons, Partizan took a safer route this time around. They ensured that their headline fixture against Red Star yielded some points for the club.

In the last couple of seasons, this one fixture has decided the title-race outcome, given the large gulf between these two Belgrade teams and the rest of the league.

Partizan has won seventeen of their nineteen games so far; with two matches ending in draws. One of those draws came at home against Red Star.

European commitments has added more pressure on Red Star

Red Star are the only surviving Serbian team in Europe having secured automatic qualification into the Europa League Round of 32. This additional involvement for Red Star will only add more pressure on them to retain the Serbian title. With ten games remaining, Partizan will fancy their chances of re-capturing the league title.

Injuries have further complicated Red Star's season

Right-back Marko Gobeljic has missed the last two games following a groin injury against Vozdovac. His replacement, Milan Gajic, was forced to play in all three games last week, including the Europa League tie against FC Braga.

Apart from that, Red Star will also miss the services of holding midfielder Njegos Petrovic. The major absentees guarding Red Star's defense will heavily dent their prospects of retaining the championship this season.