Elšnik zadel v Luganu, Crvena zvezda pa je izgubila, popoln kaos v Splitu

Crvena zvezda lost 2-3 to Lugan in Albert Riera, its coach, sparked controversy with his reaction after the match. The Serbian club's defeat came despite a goal from Slovenian international Timi Max Elšnik, who equalized in the 32nd minute. However, the team failed to maintain their lead, ultimately succumbing to a last-minute winner from Anto Grgić for the Swiss side. Riera, known for his unpredictable behavior, took to the field immediately after the final whistle, expressing frustration over what he deemed unfair decisions by the referee. Riera was particularly vocal about a controversial penalty awarded to Lugan in the 89th minute, which he believed was unjust. He stated that the decision had cost them the match and questioned UEFA's stance on such incidents, suggesting that if they were not interested in having teams like Crvena zvezda in European competitions, they should make that clear. His comments were made during a press conference, where he avoided discussing the team's performance directly, instead focusing on the officiating issues. The match against Lugan marked the start of the group stage in the Conference League for Crvena zvezda. Despite Elšnik's goal, the team struggled to maintain control, especially in the latter stages of the game. Riera's frustration was evident both on and off the pitch, with reports indicating that players were required to conduct a brief training session immediately after the match, even though fans were still leaving the stadium. Meanwhile, other teams also faced challenges in their opening matches. In Split, Hajduk defeated Ajax 2-1 in a match marred by fan incidents before kickoff. The home crowd caused disruptions by setting fire to flares, leading to interruptions during the game. Despite these issues, Hajduk managed to secure a win, marking their return to the main phase of European competition after a long absence. In another match, Borac Banja Luka fell to Panathinaikos 1-2, while Jablonec suffered a 2-3 loss to Freiburg. The Czech side was without Slovenian goalkeeper Klemen Mihelak due to injury, which affected their performance. Other notable results included Gent defeating Aarhus 1-0 and Atalanta eliminating Pafos 3-1. The Conference League has kicked off with several high-profile matches, including the encounter between Hajduk and Ajax, which saw the Dutch giants face a challenging environment in Split. The match highlighted the potential for both sporting and logistical challenges in European football, particularly when hosting teams from different regions.