The national team of Macedonia on March 24 in Palermo will face Italy in the first qualifiers match for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

The coach of our best national team, Blagoja Milevski, today announced the list of invited players for the playoff duels and gave his opinion regarding the invited players and the challenge that lies ahead.

Blagoja Milevski, coach of the national team of Macedonia:

- As for the options for the attacking players, Adis Jahovic. has been called, but his arrival is uncertain. Jahovic. Is facing some difficulties, he has tendon pain and we will find out soon if he will be able to join the team. Nestorovski has not been called up because he has played only 13 minutes in the Italian Cup this season, but it does not mean that we will not count on him for future activities if he enters in a competitive rhythm.

- This is a match with Italy where everything is ‘open’. Our players should enjoy this qualifier, to show that we are not by chance in this place and among the top 20 teams in Europe. I am happy with the form in which our national team members are. As for Italy, it is a representation that is in the top five in quality, the current European champion. However, each representation has its strengths and weaknesses, so it is with our next opponent, it depends on us how we will be able to use that.

- This team of Macedonia does not know how to play defensively and play passively. We showed that in all seven matches in the qualifiers, and we will do our best to confirm it in the duel with Italy. It will be difficult, but not impossible. There is no easy match at this level.

- Honestly, I do not see a connection with the previous two mutual matches against Italy. A long time has passed since the last match with Italy, the two teams have a different coach, a different philosophy. We are now playing a match, which is of a completely different type and importance, compared to the two qualifying matches played in Skopje and Turin.

The meeting of the Macedonian A national team is scheduled for March 20 at 19:00 in the hotel "Hilton" in Skopje.

The first training is on Monday at 17:00 at the training center "Petar Milosevski" in Skopje.