The second leg of the 2025/26 Champions League second qualifying round between FCSB (Romania) and Shkëndija (North Macedonia) will take place on July 30 at the Steaua Stadium in Bucharest. The first match ended 1-0 in favor of Shkëndija. FCSB vs. Shkëndija: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
FCSB
In the first leg away, the Romanian team lost 0-1 to Shkëndija despite having 21 shots on goal. This marked their third defeat in the last four Champions League games. To advance, they need to win by two goals at home in regular time, while a minimal success will push the game into extra time. Notably, the Romanians have only won two of their last seven Champions League encounters.
- The team has conceded at least one goal in 6 of their last 7 home matches in the Champions League.
- Both teams scored in 5 of their last 6 home games in this tournament.
- The team has not won in 7 of their last 10 home games in the Champions League (3 draws, 4 losses).
Predicted lineup for FCSB (4-5-1)
Ștefan Târnovanu – Valentin Crețu, Risto Radunović, Siyabonga Ngezana, Mihai Popescu – Vlad Chiricheș, Adrian Șut – Darius Olaru, Florin Tănase, Juri Chizotti – David Miculescu.
Midfielder Florin Tănase will miss the match due to a suspension from the first leg.
Shkëndija
In the first match, the team did not create many chances but managed to capitalize on their opportunity and hold onto a narrow lead. This victory was their first in the Champions League in the last six matches. To advance, the Macedonians only need to avoid defeat in the away leg. However, they have only achieved a similar result in three of their six away matches in the Champions League.
- There has been no exchange of goals in Shkëndija's last six away matches in the Champions League.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 6 of the club's last 8 Champions League matches.
- The team has not conceded more than one goal in 4 of their last 5 games in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Shkëndija (4-2-3-1)
Baboucarr Gaye – Aleksandar Trumchi, Ronaldo Webster, Imiran Fetai, Klisman Tsake – Kamer Chaka, Reshat Ramadani – Endrit Krasniqi, Fabrice Tamba, Vane Krstevski – Besart Ibraimi.
Midfielder Kamer Chaka will miss the game due to suspension.
Referee
Aleksey Derevensky (Ukraine)
Matches – 17 (International and Ukrainian Championship, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 76;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.4;
Red cards shown – 5;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 29%.
FCSB vs. Shkëndija: Match Prediction
FCSB has not been prolific at home in the Champions League: in 13 of their last 15 home matches, they have not scored more than two goals. Moreover, the same total was recorded in 8 of their last 10 European matches at home. In the first leg away, the Romanians failed to score despite taking 21 shots, with only five on target, which highlights the opponent's solid defense that prevented chances from advantageous positions.
Shkëndija, on the other hand, has shown reliable defense in the current Champions League campaign: the team has conceded just one goal in three matches. Additionally, the Macedonian club had not participated in the tournament for four years and is clearly motivated to progress further. Furthermore, in their last seven away matches in European competitions, Shkëndija has never conceded more than two goals, underscoring the team's defensive stability.
My prediction: FCSB Individual Total Under 2.5
