Celje vs Shkendija - Friendlies Clubs

The Friendlies Clubs returns to the home ground on June 27, 2026, where Celje and Shkendija will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. Enzo Maresca and Rico Lewis held a pre-match press conference on Saturday as Manchester City prepare to face Atletico Madrid in their third pre-season friendly of the summer.

Both camps will view the Friendlies Clubs meeting at the home ground as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. Shkendija's away form is hard to read, but they will arrive with the belief that they can trouble their hosts. It remains to be seen if Leeds will target a No 10 or a winger capable of playing inside now that Brandt is off the table.

Wing play is likely to be central to the contest. Celje will look to stretch the pitch and isolate their wide attackers, while Shkendija must find a way to compress the space and choke the supply lines. But it was a dual role for Rayo because he was also among the top dozen players for blocking crosses and winning possession in the defensive third.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. Discipline at the back and sharpness in front of goal will likely tilt the balance one way or the other. St Johnstone twice gave up a lead before storming back to edge a seven-goal thriller on their Scottish Premiership return at home to Kilmarnock.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. A share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome, with neither side holding a decisive edge — a 1-1 draw feels like a fitting result. More than just three points is on the line at the home ground — this is a fixture that could shape the narrative of both clubs' seasons. In terms of outgoings, Perri seems closest to an exit, but that will likely have to wait until Trafford's mandated holiday after the World Cup is over or a No 2 arrives.