Macedonian senior national team coach Blagoja Milevski summoned 26 players for the upcoming friendly matches at home against Finland and Azerbaijan, which will be last for this year.

photo by FFM

Eventually back in the team is striker Ilija Nestorovski who wasn’t summoned since Milevski took over the coaching role in August 2021. Arijan Ademi is injured, again, while Darko Churlinov, Tihomir Kostadinov and Dejan Iliev remain sidelined.

Back in the team is captain Stefan Ristovski, as well as Kire Ristevski, Boban Nikolov and David Babunski who were left out of the September matches due to lack of playing time.

However, additionally Aleksandar Trajkovski and Milan Ristovski were forced to withdrew due to injuries, so Milevski decided to give a debut call for Martin Mirchevski as well as returnee Dorian Babunski. Mirchevski has been in great form in the Serbian top flight this season with 6 goals scored and 2 assists made, but as an attacking winger he is not really suitable for Milevski’s formation.

Stole Dimitrievski – Rayo Vallecano
Damjan Shishkovski – Doxa
Kristijan Naumovski – Shkupi
Igor Aleksovski – Rabotnichki

Darko Velkovski – Al-Ettifaq
Visar Musliu – Ingolstadt o4
Ezgjan Alioski – Fenerbahçe
Todor Todoroski – Sumqayıt
Stefan Ashkovski – Lamia
Nikola Serafimov – MOL Vidi
Kire Ristevski – Pyunik
Stefan Ristovski – Dinamo

Enis Bardhi – Trabzonspor
Agon Elezi – Varaždin
Jani Atanasov – Hajduk
Stefan Spirovski – Pyunik
David Babunski – Mezőkövesd
Boban Nikolov – Steaua
Elif Elmas – Napoli

+Milan Ristovski – Spartak
Bojan Miovski – Aberdeen
+Aleksandar Trajkovski – Al-Fayha
Valon Ethemi – Istanbulspor
Ljupcho Doriev – Shkendija
Ilija Nestorovski – Udinese
*Martin Mirchevski – TSC
*Dorian Babunski – Debreceni

+ Withdrew due to injury
* Additionally summoned

The team will gather on Monday the 14th at noon and will train in Skopje.

Macedonia will first host Finland on Thursday the 17th at 18.00 CET, while four days later, on Sunday the 20th, will host Azerbaijan at 14.00 CET. The early kick-off is due to the opening of the 2022 FIFA Would Cup in Qatar later the same day at 16.00 CET. Both matches will be played at the National Arena Todor Proeski is Skopje.

Past encounters:

vs. Finland (G5 W1 D1 L3 GD 2:11)
10.01.2002 0:3 defeat (match report) F
17.04.2002 1:0 win (match report) F
17.08.2005 0:3 defeat (match report) Q
07.09.2005 1:5 defeat (match report) Q
23.03.2018 0:0 draw (match report) F

vs. Azerbaijan (G7 W5 D2 L0 GD 14:5)
26.07.2000 2:1 win (match report) F
06.10.2000 3:0 win (match report) Q
05.09.2001 1:1 draw (match report) Q
29.05.2010 3:1 win (match report) F
10.08.2011 1:0 win (match report) F
29.05.2016 3:1 win (match report) F
27.03.2018 1:1 draw (match report) F