Shkupi vs Rabotnicki Prediction: Shkupi are the favorite in this city derby

The third round of the football championship of Macedonia begins with several exciting duels between the teams from the upper part of the table against those from the middle and lower part. The visit of Rabotnicki to Cair is surely one of the most exciting matches this afternoon. Shkupi lost the leadership position in the First Macedonian Football League (MFL) with three consecutive draws and starts the final stage of the championship in second place, with one point less than the champion Struga.

Form: DDDWL

Goce Sedloski, the current manager of Rabotnicki, for the first time after leaving Shkupi, after the second term, comes to the Cair as an opponent of "his" Shkupi. Of course, the "Smugglers" will welcome their former strategist who, after two long decades, brought them the MFL title in the 2021/22 season. He was also on the way to the group stage in the Conference League. However, that is the past, and the present says that Shkupi are in the role of favorite, they are a better team that, with their coach Mladen Zizovic, have championship ambitions, but also three matches in a row in which there is no victory. What is more concerning is that Shkupi haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches in the league.

Form: LWLDW

Rabotnicki lost to Vardar on Wednesday, but they completely outplayed them, and if there was football justice, the result should have been 1:3 for Rabotnicki. For Rabotnicki players, the challenge against Shkupi is more than just a match. It's a test of their physical and mental condition, their playfulness and strategy, and their ability to handle the pressures of a big performance. Against Shkupi, their efforts and talents are thwarted by spectacular football, strategy, and team synchronization. They compete not only for victory on the field but also for the prestige of the club and the support of their loyal fans. Rabotnicki are in 8th place with 27 points.

Points are of extreme importance to both teams, therefore a great fight is expected, a battle for every inch of the field. Speaking of tradition, let's mention that this will be the 32nd Skopje derby. Shkupi has 14 victories, eight times the matches ended without a winner, and Rabotnicki has 9 victories. In this match in front of their fans, Shkupi are a big favorite, and I expect them to win confidently against struggling Rabotnicki.