Champions League, Qualification 2025/26, 1st Round, Second Leg, Tuesday, 15.07.2025 at 20:00
The Champions League qualifiers kicked off last week and both opponents in this fixture were unable to agree on a winner in the first leg across the English Channel. Will things look different on Tuesday in Skopje?
According to my Shkendija Tetovo The New Saints prediction, the experience accumulated by the Welsh side on the international stage last season should pay off. I expect TNS to keep their nerve away in the Balkans and even come out on top in the end.
Since the turn of the millennium, Welsh first division side The New Saints have made numerous attempts to qualify for European competition – for a long time in vain.
But in the summer of 2024, they finally broke the spell: For the first time in the club’s history, they made it into the main round, or more precisely, into the UEFA Conference League. Although they lost five of their six games, just participating was a milestone.
Above all, the team from Oswestry gained valuable international experience that could stand them in good stead in the 2025/26 Champions League qualifiers.
However, the first leg of the first round against Shkendija Tetovo was a sobering experience: despite having slightly more possession and controlling the game with a classic 4-3-3 formation, the Welsh champions failed to score in front of their home crowd.
A 0-0 draw can be considered a minor success from the visitors’ point of view – after all, Shkendija managed to slow down the British side’s attacking momentum and put themselves in a good position for the second leg.
Incidentally, there is a lot at stake for Shkendija. Should the North Macedonian club pull off the coup this time, it would be the first time in the club’s history that it has qualified for an international competition – an event that would be celebrated not only in Tetovo, but throughout the country.
The “Ballistët” are hoping for home advantage, passion, and clever tactics. The stadium is sure to be packed and atmospheric, as North Macedonia has been dreaming of such a breakthrough for a long time.
The chance is within reach: a single goal in the second leg could be enough to make history. But The New Saints showed in the previous season that they are not to be underestimated away from home.
This second leg will be a battle of attrition – and possibly a piece of club history for one of the two opponents.
Let’s now turn our attention to the Shkendija Tetovo The New Saints odds and the best odds boost available so that you can place a worthwhile bet with a bookmaker offering fast payouts.
But first, a remarkable side note: In the 2023/24 European Cup season, Shkendija already faced a Welsh team – Haverfordwest, the hometown of Hollywood actor Christian Bale.
The North Macedonians won the home game 1-0, but were ultimately defeated. The Welsh side prevailed 3-2 on penalties after the second leg and advanced to the next round.
This could be a good omen for league rivals The New Saints. After all, history shows that Shkendija is anything but untouchable against teams from the island – even if they came through the first leg unscathed a week ago.
The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, and it looks suspiciously like it will be a tactical battle. Both teams played very cautiously in the first leg, taking few risks, and this pattern is likely to continue in the second leg.
That’s why the tip “Under 2.5 goals” at odds of 1.79 makes a lot of sense at the moment. Especially when you consider that everything is at stake and neither team wants to give the other an open goal.
But it gets even more exciting: “The New Saints will be promoted” is currently at a whopping 3.05 at Betano Germany – a really high odds that definitely has value.
The Welsh have the potential to hold their own in Macedonia and could well come out on top in this close contest.
For the really brave among you, the same bookmaker has another tip for a truly high payout: “TNS wins on penalties” at odds of around 12.5.
Sure, it’s speculative – but in a game that is evenly matched and where extra time is a possibility, it’s definitely an option worth considering.
Conclusion: There are many indications that we will once again see a close and rather uneventful game. However, TNS gained valuable experience last season against the likes of Fiorentina and Panathinaikos – and that could be the difference now.
Despite their home advantage, the North Macedonians are not invincible, as the example of Haverfordwest shows. For me, the Welsh side’s promotion is therefore not a pure 50:50 affair – I actually see TNS going into the second leg with a slight advantage.
My Shkendija Tetovo The New Saints tip: Double chance X2.
