- Europa FC finished 3rd in the Gibraltar National League Championship Group on 56 points.
- FK Shkendija 79 finished 2nd in the Macedonian First Football League on 74 points, scoring 67 and conceding just 30 goals in 33 games.
- Shkendija lost two, won two, and drew one of their last five competitive fixtures.
Solid Europa to keep Shkendija’s firepower in check
Europa FC take on FK Shkendija 79 in UEFA Conference League Qualification 2026 on Thursday for the first time in the history books, so there's no prior H2H record to rely on when forming an opinion on this clash. Europa are a solid unit that finished third in the Championship Group of the Gibraltar league, so they should be good enough to stay in the mix in their own neck of the woods, but Shkendija have a higher gear, they will press hard and they can push players forward to create space and force turnovers.
Europa are a well drilled unit that coach Michele Di Piedi has turned into a compact, defensive unit that plays with shape and discipline in all areas of the field. They have some good wide options and they can cause problems on the counter, but they are probably best suited to staying solid and picking their moments on the break. Liam
Walker is the creative heart of the team and he dictates the tempo from midfield, but they have a physical focal point in Aldair
Ruiz up
top
and a reliable presence in Marc Vales who can keep them in the game against teams that like to push the pace.
Shkendija are the rightful favourites
in the outright market at 23/100, but Europa FC at 17/2 and the draw at 19/4 are both far too
high
for
our
liking
, considering
Shkendija have
lost
two straight, then
won two and
drew one
leading
into
this
fixture. New
boss Artim Polozani has a reputation as a club man and we can expect Shkendija to maintain their forward, direct style.
Shkendija’s superior quality should tell
Shkendija have a deeper roster and a higher level of quality overall than Europa, which makes them the likelier winner of this tie. However, Europa are a difficult team to beat at home and we think they can make this game as tight as it needs to be, so we're going with the away edge in the main market and the 'Shkendija to win and under 3.5 goals' market looks the best fit.
Europa are stingy at home and they will be dangerous on the transition, which should ensure that this one stays tight. Baboucarr Gaye's experience and reliability in goal is a big boost to Shkendija, while the running of Arbin Zejnullai or Reshat Ramadani from midfield can tilt the territory in their favour.
Besart Ibraimi is Shkendija's talismanic finisher and the man most likely to pounce on the few chances that come his way. A 0-1 scoreline looks about the most natural result for the visitors in this first-leg affair.
