Ultimately seeking a spot in the Champions League group stage, KF Ballkani and Ludogorets Razgrad kick off their first-round qualifying tie on Tuesday.
The Kosovan champions will welcome their Bulgarian counterparts to Pristina City Stadium, ahead of the second leg in Razgrad next week.
Match preview
© Reuters
Aiming to become one of six sides to reach the hallowed group phase through qualifying, Ludogorets start their 2023-24 campaign just weeks after Manchester City were crowned European champions in Istanbul.
Joining a number of other national champions in the first round, last season's Bulgarian First League winners boast relatively recent experience in Europe's top club competition, having made it through to the groups in both 2014 and 2016.
The Razgrad club more recently finished third in Group C of last year's Europa League, when they beat both Roma and HJK Helsinki at home, having previously been eliminated in the third round of Champions League qualifying by Dinamo Zagreb.
While they have yet to break through into the knockout stages of any UEFA competition, Ludogorets remain dominant domestically: in June, they won the Bulgarian title for an unprecedented 12th season in a row, clinching more glory with a 1-0 win at Cherno More on the final day.
Argentine forward Matias Tissera scored his 12th league goal, following Bulgaria captain Kiril Despodov's corner; ensuring the Eagles finished on 85 points - just one ahead of Sofia giants CSKA.
After following up that triumph with victory in the Bulgarian Cup final, coach Ivaylo Petev has led his side to three pre-season wins since a short summer break, with the most recent being last week's 2-0 defeat of Universitatea Craiova.
Ballkani, meanwhile, wrapped up the Kosovan Superleague by winning three of their last four matches to finish three points clear of closest challengers FC Drita.
The Suhareka-based side therefore secured successive titles, following their first national league success a year earlier, and they will now aim to upset the odds and make more progress in Europe.
Last summer, Ballkani were knocked out by Latvia's Zalgiris in the first qualifying round, before going on to reach the Conference League group stage - a first for any Kosovan club.
While they ultimately finished fourth in Group G, Ilir Daja's men came away from Turkish side Sivasspor with all three points following a 4-3 victory, as Ermal Krasniqi produced a dramatic late winner to secure their only win of the campaign.
Now, after warming up with a 2-2 friendly draw against North Macedonia's FC Struga, they return to try their luck in European competition, where they must play fixtures at Pristina City Stadium due to their home ground not meeting UEFA requirements.
- W
- W
- W
- D
Team News
Ludogorets have strengthened their squad this summer by bringing in German defender Marcel Heister and ex-Levante wide man Son, both of whom are in contention to feature on Tuesday. However, Jakub Piotrowski and controversial centre-back Olivier Verdon must miss out through suspension.
Once again, captain Anton Nedyalkov will helm the back line, with forward Kiril Despodov posing an attacking threat for Ivaylo Petev's side.
The pair are two of several Bulgaria internationals available to Petev, who has plenty of options to choose from up front, including title-winning striker Matias Tissera.
Meanwhile, Ballkani's three-goal top scorer in the Europa Conference League last season, full-back Armend Thaqi, will start for the hosts, whose squad is mostly composed of Kosovar and Albanian players.
Kosovo international Albion Rrahmani is likely to start in attack, while Montenegrin midfielder Edvin Kuc captains the home side.
KF Ballkani possible starting lineup:
Ljuljanovic; Thaqi, Jashanica, Trashi, Potoku; Zyba, Kuc, Emerllahu; Korenica; Rrahmani, Berisha
Ludogorets Razgrad possible starting lineup:
Sluga; Fonn Witry, Plastun, Nedyalkov, Heister; Show, Goncalves, Nedelev; Rai, Tissera, Despodov
We say: KF Ballkani 1-2 Ludogorets Razgrad
In recent years, Ballkani have punched above their weight, but Ludogorets will provide a particularly stern test due to their depth of European experience. As pre-season appears to have gone well, the Bulgarian champions can therefore return home with a lead before next week's return in Razgrad.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
