Macedonian national team coach Blagoja Milevski at a press-conference today revealed the list of summoned players for the upcoming last two 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Armenia and Iceland.
photo by FFM: Milevski at today’s press
Milevski put 24 players on this list, with only one coming from the domestic league – third choice keeper Jankov who is actually substituting injured Dejan Iliev. Milevski highlighted that the domestic league is with very low quality and that is the reason why he thinks players who play there can not put up with the quality of playing against national teams.
Out of the squad are injured midfielders Arijan Ademi and Boban Nikolov, but no substitutions have been summoned on their place.
Newcomer to the team is offensive winger Valon Ethem of Turkish second division side Istanbulspor. He is 24-year-old since last month and previously have played for our U21 national team and also for Albania U21. He can play on both wings as well as an attacking midfielder. Winger Nikola Gjorgjev was dropped on his behalf due to lack of playing time in his Swiss club.
Stefan Ristovski must serve a 1 match suspension due to yellow cards, so against Armenia Milevski will appoint a new captain with Ristovski getting back for Iceland.
Stole Dimitrievski – Rayo Vallecano
Damjan Shishkovski – Doxa
Risto Jankov – Rabotnichki
Stefan Ristovski – Dinamo
Darko Velkovski – Rijeka
Visar Musliu – Fehérvár
Kire Ristevski – AEL
Ezgjan Alioski – Al-Ahli
Todor Todoroski – Radnički (N)
Stefan Ashkovski – Sepsi
Gjoko Zajkov – Levski
Nikola Serafimov – Zalaegerszeg
Elif Elmas – Napoli
Enis Bardhi – Levante
Stefan Spirovski – Mariupol
Tihomir Kostadinov – Ružomberok
Erdal Rakip – Malmö
Jani Atanasov – Hajduk
Adis Jahovikj – Göztepe
Milan Ristovski – Spartak
Bojan Miovski – MTK
Aleksandar Trajkovski – Aalborg
Darko Churlinov – Schalke 04
Valon Ethemi – Istanbulspor
The national team will gather on the 8th at noon. Macedonia first travels to Yerevan to face Armenia on the 11th and three days later hosts Iceland in the last Round in Skopje.