How Ballkani are expected to start against Connah’s Quay, including Edvin Kuc, and Fluminense midfielder

Connah’s Quay Nomads return to European action next Wednesday when they welcome Kosovan side FC Ballkani to Colwyn Bay in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.

While the Nomads are no strangers to continental competition, this will be the first time they have faced opposition from Kosovo, with Ballkani arriving as one of the country’s most successful clubs in recent years after becoming the first Kosovan side to reach the Conference League group stage.

To find out more about John Disney’s opponents, we caught up with Kosovo Football, an X/Twitter account dedicated to covering football in Kosovo, to discuss Ballkani’s rise, their playing style, key players, likely starting XI and what Connah’s Quay can expect over the two-legged tie.

The lowdown on Ballkani, including predicted XI, ones to watch, and more

Could you give us a bit of background on FC Ballkani? What’s the club’s history?

Ballkani was founded in the town of Suhareka in 1947 under the name Rinia (“Youth” in Albanian) and only began participating in organised competitions in 1952. In 1965, the club came under the ownership of the Suhareka Chemical and Rubber Industry – “Ballkani” and adopted its current name. Inspired by John Cruyff’s Netherlands, the club also adopted orange as its traditional colour.

During the Yugoslav era, Ballkani’s biggest achievement was reaching the Kosovo Provincial League (fourth tier of Yugoslav football). Following the establishment of Kosovo’s independent football system in 1991, Ballkani joined the newly formed Kosovo Superleague. After the Kosovo War ended in 1999, the club was relegated. They returned to the top flight in the 2010–11 season but were immediately relegated again.

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What notable things have happened in its existence?

In 2017, the club was taken over by CIMA Construction, a Kosovan construction company. Following the investment, Ballkani returned to the Superleague in the 2018–19 season and quickly became one of the strongest clubs in Kosovo.

The club won its first Kosovo Superleague title in 2021–22 and completed a remarkable three-peat by winning the league again in 2022–23 and 2023–24. During the 2023–24 season, Ballkani also lifted the Kosovar Cup and the Kosovo Supercup.

The club’s greatest achievement, however, is qualifying for the Conference League group stage in back-to-back seasons (2022–23 and 2023–24), becoming the first Kosovo club to achieve this feat.

Have any high-profile players or managers been with the club?

During their three-title run, Ballkani assembled a squad full of quality players. Among the most notable were Albion Rrahmani, Mirlind Daku, Edvin Kuç, Sunday Adetunji, Bajram Jashanica and Giovanni.

As for managers, Ilir Daja stands out as the highest profile (also considered one of the best Albanian coaches ever), and also Ismet Munishi, an icon in Kosovo football.

What kind of team are FC Ballkani? What’s their play style?

Under Ilir Daja, Ballkani developed a modern and proactive style of play. They are characterised by high possession, aggressive defending and quick transitions through the wings, making full use of their quality wingers and full backs.

They generally line up in a 4-3-3 formation and its variations (most commonly 4-2-3-1), which suit their wing-oriented style of play.

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What’s the summer transfer window been like for Ballkani? 

Unfortunately, Ballkani experienced a setback last season, largely due to poor results and financial difficulties, which resulted in the departure of several key players, most notably:

• Arber Potoku (LB, 34 appearances last season), and
• Almir Kryeziu (LW, 39 appearances and 14 goals)

However, the club has done its best to patch the squad by bringing in several reinforcements, including Abou Dosso (LB) from Zimbru, promising youngsters Lorik Dobratiqi (LW) and Almedin Klinaku (CAM), as well as the return of Edvin Kuc, a former Ballkani player and Montenegro international who adds experience and quality to the midfield.

What players should Connah’s Quay Nomads watch out for?

The Nomads’ defence should watch out for Bleart Tolaj, who scored 13 league goals last season, as well as Valentin Serebe, the Kosovo Superleague’s third-highest scorer with 15 goals.

They should also be careful of winger Walid Hamidi and Brazilian attacking midfielder Giovanni, whose dribbling can cause problems for any defence.

How do you expect FC Ballkani to line up?

Based largely on their recent pre-season matches, Ballkani’s likely starting XI could be: (4-3-3)

Golubovic; Dosso, Halili, Batarelo, Vokrri; Kuç, Giovanni, Diène; Tolaj, Serebe, Hamidi.

Depending on any late transfer activity or the tactical approach for the match, some rotation on the wings could be expected.

How do you expect the game to pan out? Are FC Ballkani firm favourites in your eyes? What are the expectations?

Ballkani have won just one of their last four pre-season matches, losing the other three. While those results can be justified, the difficult period the club has gone through might force them to approach this tie more cautiously, especially in the first leg.

Given Ballkani’s experience and the quality within the squad, they are widely considered as favourites. However, considering Kosovar clubs’ records against Welsh opponents, I believe the gap is smaller than expected. Much will depend on how effectively Connah’s Quay Nomads can disrupt Ballkani’s buildups and exploit opportunities on the counterattack.

I think Ballkani would be satisfied with a draw at Llanellian Road in the first leg, and a victory at Stadiumi “Fadil Vokrri” in Prishtina, where they have traditionally been very strong. Nevertheless, I expect (and hope) we’ll see two entertaining matches with plenty of goals.