Partizan will look to return to winning ways in the Europa Conference League and secure top spot in Group D when they play host to FC Slovacko at the Partizan Stadium on Thursday.
The Czech Republic side, on the other hand, have already been eliminated from the competition as they sit rock-bottom in the group table and will be looking to bow out on a high.
Match preview
© Reuters
Partizan maintained their superb run of results in the Serbian top flight as they cruised to a resounding 4-0 home victory over Radnicki Nis when the sides squared off last Sunday.
The Black-Whites turned in a clinic at the attacking end of the pitch as goals from Andrija Pavlovic, Samed Bazdar and a brace from 30-year-old forward Ricardo Gomes handed the visitors their ninth league defeat of the season.
Partizan, who have picked up an impressive 10 wins and two draws in their last 12 league matches, currently sit second in the Superliga standings with 37 points from 16 games, seven points off first-placed Red Star Belgrade.
Gordan Petric's men now turn their attention to the Europa Conference League, where they suffered their first defeat in Group D last Thursday courtesy of a 2-1 loss to French side OGC Nice away from home.
Partizan have now picked up two wins, two draws and lost one of their five matches to collect eight points and sit at the top of the group standings, only above second-placed Nice on goal difference and one point above third-placed Koln.
The Serbian side, who need all three points to guarantee their spot in the knockout stages of the European competition, head into Thursday unbeaten on home turf this season, picking up seven wins and five draws from their five matches so far.
© Reuters
Elsewhere, Slovacko were denied a third victory on the bounce for the first time since August as they fell to a slender 1-0 loss against German Bundesliga side Koln last Thursday.
Slovakian midfielder Ondrej Duda made no mistake from 12 yards out as he executed his 82nd-minute penalty with aplomb to hand the visitors all three points at the Mestsky fotbalovy stadion Miroslava Valenty.
Prior to that, Martin Svedik's men secured their place in the fourth round of the Czech Republic Cup courtesy of an emphatic 6-0 win over Varnsdorf on October 19 before seeing off Teplice 2-1 in the league four days later.
Slovacko now turn their attention to the Europa Conference League, where they have managed just one win in their five matches and are rooted to the bottom of the table with four points from a possible 15.
While the Uherske Hradiste outfit have scored the second-most goals in Group D (7), their poor run has been owing to their defensive frailties as they have conceded 10 goals so far while failing to keep a clean sheet in that time.
- W
- W
- W
- D
- L
- W
- L
- W
- L
- W
- W
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Partizan will head into Thursday without Cape Verde international Patrick Andrade, who has missed the last three matches through injury.
He is joined on the club's injury table by 27-year-old midfielder Aleksander Filipovic, who came off injured in the game against Javor on October 23.
Meanwhile, Slovacko will have to cope without midfielder Michal Travnik, who will serve a one-match European suspension for crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Koln last week.
In his absence, 22-year-old Michal Kohut will push for a starting role, potentially teaming up with Marek Havlik and veteran midfielder Jan Kalabiska at the centre of the park.
On the injury front, Svedik will be unable to call upon the services of 33-year-old defender Petr Reinberk, who missed last week's game through a back problem.
Partizan possible starting lineup:
Popovic; Filipovic, Markovic, Vujacic, Urosevic; Andrade, Traore; Diabate, Natcho, Menig; Gomes
FC Slovacko possible starting lineup:
Nguyen; Tomic, Hofmann, Danicek, Kadlec; Kohut, Havlik, Kalabiska; Petrzela, Mihalik, Doski
We say: Partizan 2-1 FC Slovacko
Slovacko will be playing just for pride after already being eliminated from the competition. The hosts, on the other hand, are in the mix for a place in the knockout stages and we expect them to come out guns blazing on Thursday. We are backing the Serbian side to make use of their home advantage and claim a slender victory in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Ojele
