The New Saints – Shkendija

The visitors from Northern Macedonia will not allow the hosts to win

On Welsh soil, the two undoubtedly strongest clubs in their respective countries will clash. New Saints have been the dominant force in the Welsh league for 20 years. During this period, the team has only once fallen to the final third place of the elite division of the country, mostly winning it. In total, New Saints have amassed seventeen league titles, winning their fourth in a row last season. The juxtaposition of facts about the Welsh champion is amusing. In the national championship of 2023/2024, New Saints in 32 matches celebrated victory 30 times and drew twice. At the same time, the value of the entire squad of this team is estimated by specialised resources at three million euros. About as much as the left foot of one mediocre English Premier League player. It is in this regard, New Saints, who always get the right to represent Wales in the Champions League and, less often, in the secondary European Cup tournaments, always played from two to four matches (one or two rounds of qualification) and invariably departed. The exception was last season, in which it was impossible to qualify for the Champions League. TNS had to play six rounds of the general stage of the Conference League, following which they suffered five defeats and beat Astana on home soil. Shkendija is not so titled in the national arena in comparison with the upcoming opponent. However, in the North Macedonian championship, this team has won the title four times in the last ten years, never dropping below third place. Last season, Shkendija were three points ahead of their only title rival Sileks. The club from Tetevo can't boast of success in the European cup arena either, but they have entertained football Europe once with their upcoming opponents. In the Champions League qualification of the 2018/2019 season, Shkendija smashed New Saintes in the first meeting with a score of 5:0, and lost the return match on Welsh soil almost as disastrously - 0:4. In general, the squad from North Macedonia is stronger than that of the upcoming opponent. Most likely, the field of their stadium will not help the Welsh to achieve a winning result.