Analyst’s Perspective: Team Form and Standings

Bačka Topola is currently engaged in a heated battle to secure a place in the Championship Group, while Novi Pazar has already carved out a comfortable position for themselves, sitting firmly in fourth place. Even a victory for the home side in this fixture would not be enough to propel them past Novi Pazar in the league standings.

Performance Trajectories: A Season Review

Surprisingly, at the commencement of the 2024/25 Championship Group season, Bačka Topola initially held a higher standing than Novi Pazar, who ultimately secured a third-place finish. However, in the latter stages of that season, TSC experienced a downturn, managing to collect a mere nine points from seven rounds. In stark contrast, Novi Pazar amassed an impressive 14 out of a possible 21 points during the same period, a feat matched only by Crvena Zvezda. This current championship saw Bačka Topola start promisingly, securing seven points from their first three matches, only to subsequently falter. Over their subsequent six league outings, Darije Kalezić’s squad has endured four defeats and garnered just four points, consequently slipping into the lower half of the table.

Novi Pazar’s European Campaign and Domestic Resurgence

Novi Pazar’s inaugural participation in European competitions initially posed some challenges, affecting their domestic form. However, once their European commitments concluded, their performance in the league saw a significant upturn. It appears Vladimir Gaćinović’s team is not yet equipped to consistently compete effectively on multiple fronts. In their recent six league matches, Novi Pazar has suffered only one defeat—predictably against Crvena Zvezda (1:5)—while recording three wins and two draws. Their successes include not only home victories against Radnik (2:0) and Vojvodina (1:0) but also a notable away win against OFK Belgrade (2:0), a team that finished fourth last season.

Concluding Prediction

Based on the current form and historical head-to-head, I am highly confident that Novi Pazar will manage to secure at least one point from this encounter. If this match were against a different opponent, perhaps Vojvodina at their home ground in Novi Sad, one might entertain the idea of backing the hosts, but in this specific scenario, it seems unlikely.