Slovakia vs Montenegro 5 June 2026 Prediction

The upcoming World Cup will take place without Slovakia and Montenegro. Now the two teams meet in their final friendly before the Nations League. Which side will go into the short break with a win?

Second Place in the Group Was Not Enough

Slovakia had a solid qualifying campaign. The national team finished second with 12 points from six matches. Slovakia faced Luxembourg, Northern Ireland, and Germany in the group, with Germany expectedly taking first place. Slovakia handled the other two opponents well. Thanks to that second-place finish, the team reached the playoffs. Kosovo were the opponent in the semifinal. However, Slovakia lost a close match 4-3 despite leading twice. That defeat was not entirely deserved, as Slovakia outperformed Kosovo in xG, 1.75 to 1.13.

Slovakia’s squad is seriously weakened. Three key players are injured and have not been included in the squad. Those players are Atletico Madrid defender David Hancko, Fenerbahce defender Milan Skriniar, and Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka. All three played major roles for their clubs this season and were nearly irreplaceable in their national-team positions. Without them, this will be a difficult match for Slovakia.

An Expected Failure

Montenegro also failed to qualify for the World Cup. However, expectations for the team were not especially high. Montenegro finished fourth, second from bottom, in its qualifying group with only nine points from eight matches. It is worth noting that those results were fair, as the team lost the xG battle in most of its games. Montenegro faced Croatia, Czech Republic, the Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar. In such a solid group, it is not surprising that the team fell short of the World Cup.

Montenegro’s main leader is clearly Atalanta forward Nikola Krstovic. He recorded five assists and scored 10 league goals, finishing ninth in the scoring chart. For the national team, he was not as productive, scoring only twice during the entire qualifying campaign. Still, Montenegro’s attack should be stronger with him available.

Slovakia vs Montenegro Predicted Lineup

Slovakia (3-4-2-1): Dubravka – Obert, Vavro, Valjent – Bari, Duda, Benes, Bero – Haraslin, Suslov – Kapralik

Out: Hancko, Skriniar, Lobotka (all injured)

Manager: Vladimir Weiss

Montenegro (4-4-2): Popovic – Perovic, Sipcic, Rubezic, Marusic – Vukotic, Bulatovic, Loncar, Jankovic – Krstovic, Osmajic

Out: Djukanovic, Mugosa (both injured)

Manager: Mirko Vucinic

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Slovakia vs Montenegro Prediction: Montenegro Double Chance at 2.10

• Main prediction: Slovakia are considered the favorite by bookmakers, but there is reason to question that. The hosts are weakened by the absence of three key players. Two starting center backs, Hancko and Skriniar, will miss this match. Without them, an already inconsistent defense becomes even more vulnerable. In addition, leading central midfielder Lobotka is also out. He is the player responsible for progressing the ball and creating dangerous attacks. Montenegro, meanwhile, have their main players available, including their biggest star, forward Krstovic. He should be able to find space against Slovakia’s weakened defense. The visitors have a real chance to compete, so our pick is Montenegro double chance at 2.10. Bettors interested in correct score can consider 1-1 at 6.85.
• Goals prediction: Montenegro, led by Krstovic, should be capable of scoring. Slovakia will be without two leading center backs, Skriniar and Hancko. However, the hosts should also find the net, even without their main central midfielder Lobotka. Slovakia still have the stronger overall squad despite the absences, and they are favored by bookmakers for a reason. They also sit higher than Montenegro in the FIFA rankings, 48th compared to 81st. We are backing both teams to score — yes at 1.98.