Shkendija (Mkd) Qarabag (Aze) prediction 2025-08-05

Shkendija (Mkd) vs Qarabag (Aze) prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-08-04 18:00.
[p]Despite having assured a spot in the league phase of one of UEFA’s three European competitions this season, there’s huge incentive for Shkëndija and Qarabağ to make sure it’s the UEFA Champions League (UCL) they’re competing in come September.[/p]

[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]

[p]Securing their fifth Macedonian title earlier this year sent Shkëndija into the UCL qualifying stages for the first time since 2021/22. Three victories from four qualifiers so far set up this third round qualifying tie, with a mere two goals conceded across those four games highlighting where their main strength lies. Causing a stunning upset in the last round by knocking out 1985/86 European champions FCSB will only have served to boost morale, and they have the chance to make history in this tie as never before have they successfully negotiated a UCL third qualifying round tie. [/p]

[p]Qarabağ are far more experienced on the UCL stage as they have already participated in the group stage of this competition back in 2017/18, qualifying via this exact route and winning the away leg of their third-round qualifying tie back then. The Horsemen have dominated domestically by winning each of the last four editions of the Azerbaijan Premier League, and they flexed their muscles in this competition by dispatching Shelbourne 4-0 on aggregate in the previous round. That’s their only competitive action of 2025/26 so far, but they should be confident of building on that here having won the away leg of their UCL third round qualifying tie 7-2 against Ludogorets last season![/p]

[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]

[p]This will be a first-ever H2H between these two sides. Qarabağ have faced North Macedonian clubs five times, winning four of those outings (D1), while Shkëndija have won two of their previous three meetings with sides from Azerbaijan (D1).   [/p]

[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]

[p]Shkëndija have opened the scoring in three of their last four competitive home matches.[/p]

[p]None of Shkëndija’s four UCL matches this term have produced more than nine corners.[/p]

[p]Qarabağ’s last eight competitive wins came with an accompanying clean sheet.[/p]

[p]Qarabağ have missed two penalties across their last three matches.[/p]

[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]

[p]Vane Krstevski scored a late winner against FCSB and Shkëndija have won on all seven of his scoring appearances for the club, five of which featured 5+ match goals. Qarabağ tend to be equally as lucky when Leandro Andrade scores, with 14 of his last 15 scoring appearances for the club ending in victory – he’s scored the decisive goal in victory in the last four of those scoring outings. [/p]

[p]There appear to be no notable absentees for either side.[/p]

[p]Betting Analysis[/p]

[p]Given Qarabağ’s strong defensive displays of late, backing them to keep a clean sheet looks to be a sensible choice.  [/p]

[p][i]Author: Tomáš Vlasák[/i][/p]