NOVOROSSIYSK, Russia (Interstat) — Chernomorets will host Sokol Saratov on Friday, May 1, 2026, in a Club Friendlies match at Trenirovochnaya Baza Butkemp.

The game marks the first meeting between the two sides in a pre-season or friendly setting. Both clubs are looking to build momentum after mixed results in their most recent competitive outings.

Chernomorets enters Friday’s match on a two-match losing streak. The team lost its last game 2-0 at home against Kuban Pavlovskaya on Feb. 14, 2026. Prior to that, Chernomorets fell 2-1 to FK Kuban Kholding on Oct. 16, 2025. Their last victory came Sept. 24, 2025, a 2-0 away win at Astrakhan.

Sokol Saratov, meanwhile, comes off a 1-0 away victory over Torpedo Moskva on Sept. 20, 2025. That result, delivered in a league fixture, gives the visiting side a boost in confidence. Sokol Saratov has not played a competitive match since that date and will be eager to shake off any rust in this friendly.

Projections from Interstat’s simulation engine offer contrasting outlooks. The game simulator forecasts a 1-0 win for Sokol Saratov. However, Interstat’s ELO-based probability system gives Chernomorets a 75 percent chance of victory. Such statistical disagreement highlights the uncertainty surrounding a friendly where both clubs are still evaluating squad depth and fitness.

Friday’s match will be played at Novorossiysk’s Trenirovochnaya Baza Butkemp, a training base that typically hosts smaller events. The venue may affect playing conditions and attendance. Neither team has announced major roster changes or injuries ahead of the kickoff.

For Chernomorets, the priority will be to tighten a defense that conceded two goals in each of its last two losses. Sokol Saratov will aim to build on its clean-sheet performance against Torpedo Moskva, though that result dates back seven months.

Kickoff is scheduled for evening local time. No broadcast details have been released. The match is part of a series of preseason friendlies arranged through the Club Friendlies of Club Friendlies in World organizing body.