Having surpassed expectations to qualify for the league phase of competition, Shkendija begin the match day sitting just outside of the top 24 by collecting four points from their opening four matches of the season.
They face a Slovan Bratislava side that qualified for the Champions League last season but the Slovakians have had to settle for the UECL this time around. They have struggled, though, with one win and three defeats.
Shkendija have proven that they can be very difficult and awkward to play against in North Macedonia and a low-scoring encounter seems likely for this one.
Shkendija and Slovan Bratislava are lurking just outside the playoff spots, which makes their matchday five clash in the UEFA Conference League intriguing. This match on Thursday in Skopje will see 25th-placed ‘Ballists’ host the 29th-placed ‘Sky Blues’, and our prediction is BTTS.
Four points (W1, D1, L2) keep Shkendija just a point outside the top 24 places, the last of the available play-off spots. Slovan are a point further behind (W1, L3).
Shkendija won 3-1 last week in the domestic league, which was their second victory in a row. With five wins from their last seven fixtures (L2), the North Macedonians are getting momentum into their game.
They may need that to translate to success in Europe, as Shkendija failed to win their last two matchdays in the Conference League (D1, L1). They have scored only two goals in their four games so far, which remains an area of concern.
Slovan come here on the back of consecutive defeats in the league, which ended a run of five consecutive wins in all competitions. The visitors have been impressive lately on the road, winning four of their last six competitive trips.
The challenge is to build on the 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on matchday four, as it came after three consecutive defeats in the league phase.
