‘Everyone here will feel safe:’ Red Star Belgrade coach Vladan Milojevic assures Tottenham players and fans that racism will not be a problem
- Red Star Belgrade face Tottenham in the Champions League on Wednesday
- Spurs were on the end of racist abuse during their 2014 visit to Belgrade
- Red Star supporters were banned from the fixture at Tottenham following racism
- Yet coach Vladan Milojevic stated Serbia is a country that ’embraces diversity’
Red Star Belgrade coach Vladan Milojevic has promised Tottenham will not suffer any racist abuse in their Champions League meeting on Wednesday.
Spurs received abuse last time they played in Belgrade in 2014 and the Group B clash is at the Rajko Mitic Stadium, where Serbia fans were found guilty of racist abuse against Portugal in their game last month.
Furthermore, Red Star fans were banned from attending the reverse fixture a fortnight ago by UEFA after they were found guilty of racism during a qualifying round match in Finland in July.
Red Star coach Vladan Milojevic believes Wednesday’s game will take place without any issues
Still, Milojevic insists it will not be a problem and says their fans will be the perfect hosts.
‘I can guarantee that everyone here will feel safe,’ he said in his pre-match press conference.
‘In our team we have players with different skin colours and never had a problem. Not even Tottenham footballers will have them tomorrow.
‘We will show that we are the real hosts and that this is a country that embraces diversity.
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‘I believe that our fans will be great tomorrow and I urge them to come as much as possible to support us.’
Red Star will be relying on their fans to create a hostile reception, similar to the one that helped do for Liverpool in last season’s group stage, where the hosts won 2-0 exactly one year ago.
The Serbian side were hammered 5-0 in London a fortnight ago, but they are a different proposition in their own backyard.
‘I’m not someone who likes to make promises, but I always believe in positive things,’ Milojevic added.
Red Star Belgrade players celebrate beating Liverpool 2-0 in last season’s Champions League
Tottenham thrashed Red Star Belgrade 5-0 on October 22, Harry Kane (pic) scored twice
‘Still, Tottenham and Liverpool are two different teams from last year and there is no room for comparison.
‘The fact is that we are a different team when we play at home and it is very difficult for our opponents to play in front of the full stands where our fans are.
‘Everything that was yesterday should be left behind in the past, and we will strive to write new history.’