20 March 1991 - A Dark Day In Dresden

On 20 March 1991, a European Cup quarterfinal between Red Star Belgrade and Dynamo Dresden was halted in the 75th minute due to rioting in the stands. It never resumed and went into the books as a 3-0 win for Red Star.

Red Star won the first leg 3-0 in Belgrade two weeks earlier, so Dresden went into the second leg with a difficult task ahead of them. But they got a lift when the referee awarded them a handball penalty in the third minute, which striker Torsten Gütschow duly converted.

The two sides exchanged several chances in the remainder of the first half, with Red Star getting the better looks. Only outstanding play from Dresden goalkeeper Thomas Köhler kept the hosts ahead at the break. Red Star finally scored in the second half, with winger Dejan Savićević evading four defenders and firing past a fifth from close range to draw the visitors level in the 51st minute.

Twenty minutes later, they took the lead with a strike from forward Darko Pančev, who fired the ball between Köhler's legs and into the far corner of the net. That was too much for the home supporters--when the referee awarded Red Star a corner kick shortly afterward, the Dresden fans began hurling objects at both the Red Star kicker and the assistant referee.

After a few futile attempts to calm the fans, referee Emilio Soriano Aladrén ordered the teams off the pitch and canceled the remainder of the game. Although Red Star were leading 2-1 at the time, UEFA later awarded them a 3-0 victory and banned Dresden from UEFA competitions for the following season.

Red Star went on to beat Bayern Munich in the semifinals and then took the trophy with a win over Marseille on penalties in the final.

22 March 1992 - When Politics Invade The Pitch

On 22 March 1992, the reigning European Cup holders and Yugoslavia First League champions Red Star Belgrade faced off against bitter derby rivals Partizan in a league match at Red Star's home ground, nicknamed the "Marakana" after the famous Brazilian stadium.

The rivalry between Red Star and Partizan is heated and often marked by violence. Before the match on 22 March, it appeared that the latest installment would be no exception, with several fights breaking out as the teams' supporters made their way into the stadium. Once the match started, the masses of rival supporters' group taunted each other with name calling and threats of continued violence after the match.

Shortly into the match, however, the crowd quieted as a group of about 20 Serbian Tigers - paramilitary soldiers - in full unform, stood in the North Stand and raised a road sign reading "20 miles to Vukovar" - Vukovar being a Croatian town in the path of the Serbian army. As the match progressed, the soldiers raised additional signs - "10 miles to Vukovar," then "Welcome to Vukovar." After Vukovar, signs with other names were raised as more Croatian cities and towns fell to the Serbs.

The crowd, united in nationalistic fervor, roared with approval as each sign was raised, building to a dramatic crescendo when Tiger leader Željko Ražnatović (pictured), better known as "Arkan," rose to accept the crowd's applause. The match ended as a scoreless draw, but few of the supporters seemed to care. The match remains a sobering reminder that the generally postive connection between nationalism and football also has a darker side. 

Red Star went on to win the league that year - their 19th title - in what was to be the last season of the Yugoslavian First League. 

4 March 1945 - Red Star Rising

On 4 March 1945, European and world champions Red Star Belgrade formed from the ashes of a previous club, SK 1913.

As their name suggests, SK 1913 were founded in 1913, but as SK Velika Srbija. From 1919 to 1941, they were known as SK Jugoslavija and twice won the Yugoslavian championship (1924, 1925). When the Kingdom of Yugoslavia dissolved in 1941, they again changed their name, this time to SK 1913.

In 1945, however, after the end of World War II, the government of the new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia labeled accused the club of collaborating with the Axis powers by playing matches during the war. The government formally disbanded the club, handing their stadium, colors, offices, and players to the newly-formed Red Star.

Red Star went on to become a dominant club, with a record 26 league titles and a record 24 national cups as their nation changed from SFR Yugoslavia to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, then to the Federal Republic of Serbia and Montenegro, and to its current status as Serbia. Red Star have also tasted international success, winning the both the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1991.

8 December 1991 - The Stars Of Red Star

On 8 December 1991, Red Star won the Intercontinental Cup, beating Colo-Colo 3-0 despite having only 10 men for more than half the match.

The most successful club in Chile, Colo-Colo were in the midst of their brightest period, having won three straight league titles from 1989 to 1991 as well as the 1991 Copa Libertadores. Red Star's pedigree was just as strong, however, including three of the last four Yugoslav First League titles and the 1991 European Cup. They also had center forward Darko Pančev, the league's top scorer in 1990 and 1991.

But when the teams met in Tokyo, the star of the day was midfielder Vladimir Jugović, who scored twice (19', 58') to give Red Star a 2-0 lead. His first goal capped the end of a dynamic passing attack as Jugović surged into the box to reach a low cross, then blasted it past keeper Daniel Morón. His second came after a scramble in the box that left Morón out of position and let Jugović knock the ball into an unguarded net from six yards out.

In between, Red Star lost midfielder Dejan Savićević—who had provided the assist for Jugović's first goal—to a 42nd-minute red card.

Pančev finally got on the scoresheet late, as midfielder Siniša Mihajlović outraced his defender to go one-on-one with Morón, then crossed the ball to Pančev for an easy finish and a final score of 3-0.

29 May 1991 - Red Star Rises Over Europe

On 29 May 1991, Red Star Belgrade won their first major European trophy, beating Marseille on penalties in the European Cup final.

It was the first time in the final for both teams, who reached it by virtue of their prolific offenses. Marseille forward and captain Jean-Pierre Papin was the tournament's leading scorer with six goals, while midfielder Phillippe Vercruysse, with five, was a substitute for the final. Red Star, meanwhile, relied primarily on the pairing of striker Darko Pančev (5 goals) and midfielder Robert Prosinečki (4).

It was the defenses, however, who shined in the final, held at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari. A crowd of 58,000 watched as both teams struggled to create chances against each other and played to a scoreless draw through extra time.

Red Star went first in the ensuing penalty shootout, with Prosinečki scoring the opening goal. Right back Manuel Amoros then stepped up to take Marseille's first attempt. He tried sending the ball to the right of keeper Stevan Stojanović, but Stojanović guessed correctly and knocked it away. That turned out to be the decisive stop, as the players for both sides all converted their next attempts until Red Star's final shot, taken by Pančev, secured the win, 0-0 (5-3).

It remains Red Star's only appearance in the final, though they went on to win the Intercontinental Cup later that year, beating Colo Colo 3-0. Marseille returned to the final in 1993 and beat Milan 1-0.

20 March 1991 - A Different Kind Of Bombardment In Dresden

On 20 March 1991, a European Cup quarterfinal between Red Star Belgrade and Dynamo Dresden was halted in the 75th minute due to rioting in the stands. It never resumed and went into the books as a 3-0 win for Red Star.

Red Star won the first leg 3-0 in Belgrade two weeks earlier, so Dresden went into the second leg with a difficult task ahead of them. But they got a lift when the referee awarded them a handball penalty in the third minute, which striker Torsten Gütschow duly converted.

The two sides exchanged several chances in the remainder of the first half, with Red Star getting the better looks. Only outstanding play from Dresden goalkeeper Thomas Köhler kept the hosts ahead at the break. Red Star finally scored in the second half, with winger Dejan Savićević evading four defenders and firing past a fifth from close range to draw the visitors level in the 51st minute.

Twenty minutes later, they took the lead with a strike from forward Darko Pančev, who fired the ball between Köhler's legs and into the far corner of the net. That was too much for the home supporters--when the referee awarded Red Star a corner kick shortly afterward, the Dresden fans began hurling objects at both the Red Star kicker and the assistant referee.

After a few futile attempts to calm the fans, referee Emilio Soriano Aladrén ordered the teams off the pitch and canceled the remainder of the game. Although Red Star were leading 2-1 at the time, UEFA later awarded them a 3-0 victory and banned Dresden from UEFA competitions for the following season.

Red Star went on to beat Bayern Munich in the semifinals and then took the trophy with a win over Marseille on penalties in the final.

4 March 1945 - Red Star Rising

On 4 March 1945, European and world champions Red Star Belgrade formed from the ashes of a previous club, SK 1913.

As their name suggests, SK 1913 were founded in 1913, but as SK Velika Srbija. From 1919 to 1941, they were known as SK Jugoslavija and twice won the Yugoslavian championship (1924, 1925). When the Kingdom of Yugoslavia dissolved in 1941, they again changed their name, this time to SK 1913.

In 1945, however, after the end of World War II, the government of the new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia labeled accused the club of collaborating with the Axis powers by playing matches during the war. The government formally disbanded the club, handing their stadium, colors, offices, and players to the newly-formed Red Star.

Red Star went on to become a dominant club, with a record 25 league titles and a record 23 national cups as their nation changed from SFR Yugoslavia to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, then to the Federal Republic of Serbia and Montenegro, and to its current status as Serbia. Red Star have also tasted international success, winning the both the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1991.

22 March 1992 - When Politics Invade The Pitch

On 22 March 1992, the reigning European Cup holders and Yugoslavia First League champions Red Star Belgrade faced off against bitter derby rivals Partizan in a league match at Red Star's home ground, nicknamed the "Marakana" after the famous Brazilian stadium.

The rivalry between Red Star and Partizan is heated and often marked by violence. Before the match on 22 March, it appeared that the latest installment would be no exception, with several fights breaking out as the teams' supporters made their way into the stadium. Once the match started, the masses of rival supporters' group taunted each other with name calling and threats of continued violence after the match.

Shortly into the match, however, the crowd quieted as a group of about 20 Serbian Tigers - paramilitary soldiers - in full unform, stood in the North Stand and raised a road sign reading "20 miles to Vukovar" - Vukovar being a Croatian town in the path of the Serbian army. As the match progressed, the soldiers raised additional signs - "10 miles to Vukovar," then "Welcome to Vukovar." After Vukovar, signs with other names were raised as more Croatian cities and towns fell to the Serbs.

The crowd, united in nationalistic fervor, roared with approval as each sign was raised, building to a dramatic crescendo when Tiger leader Željko Ražnatović (pictured), better known as "Arkan," rose to accept the crowd's applause. The match ended as a scoreless draw, but few of the supporters seemed to care. The match remains a sobering reminder that the generally postive connection between nationalism and football also has a darker side.

Red Star went on to win the league that year - their 19th title - in what was to be the last season of the Yugoslavian First League. With the collapse of Yugoslavia, Red Star and Partizan both play in the Serbian Superliga. Partizan are the current title holders, having won the league the past two seasons.