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We present our opponent: Shkupi

The lottery of first qualifying stage of the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League took place. As a result of it North Macedonian Shkupi was named our opponent.

History

The club was founded in 1927 and for many years the team was named Sloga. After the collapse of Yugoslavia  Sloga became Macedonia’s champion three times in a row (1998/99, 1999/2000, 2000/01) and three times a cup winner (1995/96, 1999/2000, 2003/04). During the season 2009/10 the club had to leave the championship due to problems with sponsor Jugomagnat.  

The team was revived in 2012 when Sloga was merged with FC Albarsa and was named Shkupi. However, the Football Federation of Macedonia didn’t recognize Shkupi as a successor to Sloga for political reasons. Despite the FFM decision, Sloga’s supporters, former players and the management recognize Shkupi as Sloga’s successor.

Shkupi started performing from the 2012-13 Macedonian Third League then playing two seasons in the Second League Shkupi  won a qualification to the Macedonian First League in 2015. The team placed fourth in the 2017-18 First League and qualified for the Europa League for the first time.

Shkupi placed fourth in the ended Macedonian Championship for the second time in a row. Moreover, the team could qualify for the Europa League by some miracle as on the last match day of the championship it was losing to Rabotnichki  and only thanks to two goals scored on the last minute by Turk legionary Berat Ustabashi managed to steal such an important victory.

Squad

Similarly to country's champion Shkendija Shkupi also enjoys the sympathy of the Albanian community of North Macedonia, that’s why the team’s core mainly consists of  Albanian players.

33-year-old defender Muharem Bajrami is the most experienced player and the captain of the team. There are also African legionaries in Shkupi.

After the end of the current championship team’s top scorers Viktor Angelov and Brazilian Serzhinyo, who had scored seven goals each, left Shkupi. Also the club stayed without Amir Bilal, Ergin Abdul, Malian Tandina Maharafa and Ivorian Armel Bradji.

On the eve of the new season Shkupi has got new attacking midfielder, 23-year-old Fatjon Jusufi who played the previous season for Gyumri’s Shirak.

Coach

Shkupi is headed by 42-year old Turk specialist Umit Karan who before working as a coach had a very successful career playing for Galatasaray in Turkey from 2001-2009. During that period he was one of the leading players of the team.

With Galatasaray Umit Karan participated in several seasons of the Champions League scoring goals against Barcelona, Liverpool, Roma and other famous clubs in the group stage. On October 4, 2018 Umit Karan was appointed Shkupi’s head coach.

Supporters

The group of the team’s supporters is called “Shvercerat” which means “Smugglers” in Albanian and it was created in 1989. The same group supported Sloga Jugomagnat in the past before its merger to Shkupi.

Like Shkendija Shkupi’s supports are mostly Albanians.

Stadium

This club spends home matches at Cair Stadium which can host 4000 spectators. And as it doesn’t meet the UEFA standards Shkupi spends its home matches of the Euro Cups at the country’s main stadium, Phillip II National Arena, which this year in April was renamed Tose Proeski National Arena by the North Macedonian government.

Shkupi at the Eurocups

Unlike his predecessor, Sloga, who has played in the Euro Cup competitions for several years, Shkupi deserved such a chance only once during its short history. The team faced Scottish famous Glasgow Rangers in the first qualifying stage of the previous 2018-19 Europa League  and left the struggle after two matches (0:0, 0:2).

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