Gary Haveron clear Red Star Belgrade tie was never going to 'make or break our European campaign'
Larne manager Gary Haveron insists their Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade was never “going to make or break our whole European campaign” after losing out 4-0 to the former European Cup winners at Inver Park – with focus remaining on Conference League qualification.
After beating Tre Fiori of San Marino in the Champions League’s first qualifying round, Larne have guaranteed themselves at least a Conference League play-off as they look to replicate their historic achievement of 2024.
Haveron’s men were able to contain the reigning Serbian champions for most of the first half – a Bruno Duarte penalty put Red Star ahead at the break – but three unanswered second half goals added further gloss to the scoreline.
Larne always faced an uphill task against a squad which includes the likes of former Inter Milan striker Marko Arnautovic, who played for Austria at the World Cup before coming off the bench at Inver Park.
The Co Antrim club will travel to Belgrade for Wednesday’s second leg at the iconic Rajko Mitic Stadium, but Haveron insists Larne have to be realistic about their expectations.
"I was never looking at this Champions League tie as one that was going to make or break our whole European campaign,” Haveron told the club’s media channel. “The win against Tre Fiori set us up for an opportunity in the Europa League and Conference League.
"We have to be realistic to what level of competition we can be competitive in, the Conference League has given teams like Larne a chance to have a run in Europe and be successful.
"The Champions League, there's a reason why only two teams from Northern Ireland have won a tie in the current Champions League format, it's so difficult.
"You're playing Red Star Belgrade who are bringing on £4million or £5million players, that's just the reality, a couple of their players are worth more than our entire club. That's just being real and honest.”
Red Star have won nine consecutive league titles and qualified for the Champions League in 2024/25, taking on the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and Benfica in the League Phase.
The Serbian club are steeped in history – they won the European Cup in 1991 – and Haveron admits it was a special moment for Larne to host them in the Champions League.
"We have to take the learnings from this...we just played Red Star Belgrade at Inver Park,” he added on NIFLTV. “I live two minutes from here, if you had told me growing up that Red Star Belgrade would be coming to Larne and we'd be playing in the Champions League, I would have been like everyone else, I'd have laughed at you.
"For us to be on this stage, to bring them to the town and Northern Ireland, Marko Arnautovic running around here, that's what fans want to see and we're proud to do that.
"This isn't the bigger fish for us. We've a Europa League match and Conference League if needed, two cracks to get into a level of competition where we can be competitive. We've shown in the past we can get group stages.”