Crvena zvezda has faced turbulence many times over the past decade, but the situation unfolding this season appears to be its most serious yet. The Belgrade giants are at genuine risk of being left without a team to finish the campaign. Their only stroke of luck is the timing: the European Championships are approaching, giving the club a two-month window to stabilise—if that is even possible.
Player Exodus Accelerates
A mass departure is already underway. Due to unpaid salaries and long-standing financial issues, Nikola Nikolov, Kristian Šulc, Dušan Vasić, and Stefan Pješivac left earlier in the season. More recently, Marko Petković and Veljko Tankosić followed.
Meanwhile, Vuk Vitorović and Aleksandar Marković have not attended training for several weeks.
With uncertainty growing by the day, other key players—such as Olympic gold medallist Vladimir Mišović and left-hander Marko Radović—are expected to receive offers from rival clubs.
The squad has received just one salary this season, despite reportedly strong contracts. Promises from above have not been matched by financial reality.
Leadership Breakdown
Much of the unrest stems from unmet obligations by club president Vesna Nikolić, who took over in mid-2024 and publicly insisted the situation would improve. Instead, the crisis has deepened.
General secretary Goran Jezdić revealed to Sport Klub that Nikolić attempted to organise a session of the club’s Assembly without notifying the Red Star Sports Society—meaning she could not legally request access to club facilities.
According to protocol, only the President of the Assembly, Goran Čakirić, has the authority to schedule such a meeting. A prior agreement stated that the Assembly would convene at the start of this week, upon Čakirić’s return to Belgrade.
Instead, Nikolić bypassed the process, attempting to convene an unofficial “Assembly” in the hallway of the building after being denied use of club rooms.
“It is obvious she wants to stay in the club by force,” said Jezdić, a 15-year member of the Assembly. “The situation demands a proper session, and we will discuss confidence in the current president.”
Čakirić is expected to schedule the legitimate Assembly meeting next week—one that may determine the president’s future.
Team on the Brink
Head coach Aleksandar Filipović now has a squad reduced to just ten available players, with several others uncertain or already gone. The club, once openly preparing to challenge the top of Serbian water polo, now finds itself in freefall.
Unmet promises, unpaid wages, and organisational dysfunction have pushed morale to its lowest point in years. Unless drastic action is taken, Zvezda could face an unprecedented scenario: being unable to field a team for the remainder of the season.
What Comes Next
The upcoming Assembly session will be decisive. One side in the power struggle will almost certainly have to step aside; compromise appears unlikely. With the club’s existence in jeopardy, the weight of the meeting cannot be overstated.
A decade of instability has led Crvena zvezda to this moment. Whether they emerge from the crisis—or fall apart entirely—will depend on the decisions made in the coming weeks.
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