Tough early test for Pobeda

Baptism of fire
It is a baptism of fire for new Pobeda coach Dragan Hristovski, who takes charge of his first league match since Nikola Ilievski stepped down two weeks after leading the Prilep club to their maiden title. Hristovski is still looking for his first win after losing to Armenia's FC Pyunik on Pobeda's UEFA Champions League debut.

Title ambitions
Hristovski will miss F.Y.R. Macedonia international Pance Cumbev, but he is the only major departure and Pobeda start the campaign with reason to believe they can defend their crown.

Gligorovski departure
Sileks will look to dent that confidence and will also hope to make up for the disappointment of being knocked out of the UEFA Cup at the first qualifying hurdle by Slovenia's NK Maribor. Nonetheless, the 1-1 second-leg draw suggested that the loss of international striker Ivica Gligorovski to Cyprus's Ethnikos Achnas FC can be overcome as Sileks push for the title.

In-form Vardar
The season is already six games old for FK Vardar, who are in excellent form and ready to improve on a third-place finish last term. With Brazilian striker Oliveira Dos Santos among the goals, the 2002 and 2003 champions reached the UEFA Intertoto Cup third round with victories against Achnas and Belgium's KAA Gent before falling to FC Schalke 04 of the Bundesliga.

Brazilian guile
Not bad for a side expected to feel the loss of former F.Y.R. Macedonian international Srdjan Zaharievski and another Brazilian, Oliveira. Slavco Georgievski, Dragan Veselinovski and Dragan Nacevski have also left, but Brazilian coach Gildo Rodriguez has retained the spine of his team and put faith in youth, giving more responsibility to the likes of Under-21 international Almir Bajramovski.

Rabotnicki progress
FK Rabotnicki, fourth last time, continue to progress and should challenge for Europe, while FK Sloga Jugomagnat have rekindled their taste for success after winning a third Macedonian Cup last season.

Sloga goal
Sloga's victims in May's final, FK Napredok, are their opening-day opponents on Saturday, when the former side will bid to make up for their 8-1 aggregate defeat by AC Omonia in the UEFA Cup first qualifying round. The timing could not be worse for Napredok who have been forced to sell their best players due to financial problems.

Belasica troubles
FK Belasica GC also face a difficult campaign but FK Madzari Solidarnost 92 and promoted FK Bregalnica Stip could spring a few surprises, while FK Cementarnica 55 look confident under coach Zoran Stratev who led them to their 2003 cup triumph.

Format change
The league is expected to be more competitive this season with the introduction of a new relegation system after 22 rounds whereby the ninth and tenth-placed teams play off against the third and fourth-placed second division sides for a top-flight berth.