Hibs Europa League fate predicted as dismissive Midtjylland boss makes bold assessment
The Danish boss is fully expecting his team to get the job done against the capital club next month
Bold Midtjylland boss Thomas Thomasberg is supremely confident that his side will end Hibs ' hopes of qualifying for the group phase of the Europa League by dumping them out at the first time of asking.
David Gray 's men were dealt a tough hand in Wednesday's second qualifying round draw when they were paired against a side that reached the knockout stage of the competition last season.
Midtjylland boast a host of international players among their ranks including Poland forward Adam Buksa and Switzerland's one-time Rangers ' loanee Kevin Mbabu.
Thomasberg led Midtjylland to the Superliga title in 2024 and only missed out on retaining their championship last season to rivals Copenhagen by a single point.
The Jutland club will host the Hibees on July 24 at the MCH Arena before making the trip to Leith seven days later.
The winner of the tie will progress to the third qualifying round while the loser will drop into the Conference League qualifying section at the same stage.
But ex Randers manager Thomasberg is in no doubt that his team will be the ones celebrating over the two legs.
He told TV2 Sport: "Yes, of course we will.
"This is the first step towards that, so we have to make a really good attempt at that. We will also advance to the next round in the Europa League.
Despite his confident prediction, the 50-year-old insists they will do their homework on Hibs.
"Well, of course I know what Scottish football stands for," he added.
"There is some speed, some physicality in the game, but we need to take a closer look at the team itself and how they do it now, and we have plenty of time for that."
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.
We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool join Chelsea in transfer race for £43m star who 'wants Anfield move'
Lyon star Malick Fofana has been on Chelsea's radar for a potential summer transfer but the Blues have now reportedly been joined by Liverpool in the race for his signature Liverpool are ready to rival Chelsea for Malick Fofana, and could benefit from the player reportedly favouring a move to Merseyside. The Lyon star, 20, has been linked with a £43m exit as the Ligue 1 club continue to trim their squad after selling Rayan Cherki to Manchester City. Belgium international Fofana joined Lyon from Gent in 2023 and starred in their run to the Europa League quarter-finals last season. The winger scored six goals in 10 appearances in the competition, and also won a penalty in the dramatic 5-4 defeat at Manchester United which saw his team eliminated. According to L'Equipe, Chelsea have made contact with Lyon's management and now Liverpool have joined the race. The Reds are believed to have made contact with Fofana's new representatives Roc Nation, whose roster also includes Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior. Earlier in the year, Fofana's then agent Bobo Fofana hinted a move to Anfield might well be his preference were he to leave Lyon. Since then, it has emerged that a bid in the region of £43m might be enough to get a deal over the line. "The choice of heart would be Liverpool. He has the potential to enter the rotation, and above all, we would like to see him succeed African legends such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and El-hadji Diouf," Bobo Fofana told AfricaFoot. "Now, the choice of reason would be Newcastle, a well-structured club that could be a first step to gain experience before, perhaps, joining a club in the European top 5." Liverpool's reported interest comes amid continued uncertainty over the future of Luis Diaz. The Colombian star continues to be linked with Barcelona, though Liverpool are standing firm and want big money if he is to leave. "I'm very happy at Liverpool - I've always said so. They've welcomed me very well," Diaz told beIN SPORTS during the June international break. "If Liverpool gives us a good extension, or I have to see out my two-year contract, I'll be happy." Lyon have been trimming their squad after missing out on Champions League qualification as they look to deal with financial pressures. Cherki's exit has been the highest-profile move so far, with the playmaker joining Manchester City for around £36.5m, while former West Ham winger Said Benrahma has left for Saudi side Neom. "I want to win everything with City," said Cherki, who made his first City start against Wydad Casablanca on Wednesday. "When I spoke with Pep [Guardiola] he said he wanted me. He was very, very clear [on that] and the system, the club, the city is very good for me." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Michel Ange-Balikwisha to Celtic latest as Hoops make fresh approach for winger'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC are reportedly locked in talks with Antwerp over a potential deal for winger Michel Ange-Balikwisha. The 25-year-old wide-man has been a long-time target for the Scottish champions, having first emerged as a target last summer. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 The Antwerp winger has been a long-time target for the Hoops Credit: Getty 2 They've reignited their interest in the 25-year-old Credit: AFP Brendan Rodgers ended up not signing a new winger during last year's window but he did secure a move for Jota to return to the club in January. Ange-Balikwisha was still on Celtic's shortlist during the winter window and the player himself even confirmed there was "concrete interest" from the Glasgow club. Speaking in February, he said: "Celtic's interest was concrete, but I chose to stay. "Leaving with an injury was not ideal for me. I would rather take good care of myself so I could be ready for the play-offs. "We will see in the summer transfer window." And Rodgers has seemingly reignited his interest once again as reports from Belgium suggest Celtic have been making moves to sign him this week. Journalist Sacha Tavolieri claims discussions between both clubs are already underway and the winger himself is "keen" on the move. It's no secret the Celts boss is looking for another winger and striker to bolster his attacking options after being left wanting more in January. Benjamin Nygren can operate in both positions but he plays his best football while being deployed in the No10 role. The Hoops will face being without Jota for a number of months following his long-term setback at the end of last season. The diggers move in as Celtic Park pitch is dug up They could potentially lose Nicolas Kuhn this summer too as SunSport understands RB Leipzig are exploring a potential deal to bring their former winger back to Germany. Rodgers will welcome back Luis Palma and Marco Tilio for pre-season but the pair are expected to leave the club permanently this summer. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
John Souttar Rangers injury latest after recent surgery
Russell Martin will meet his squad for the first time at the club's training centre on Monday morning. However, while he may be present in the building, Souttar will play no part in training, having undergone a hernia operation in London last week. Souttar played the season to its conclusion for Rangers before pulling on a Scotland jersey in the latest set of international fixtures in June. While the timing of his surgery is perhaps surprising, Souttar is understood to be on track to return to first-team training in enough time to prepare him for the Champions League second-round qualifier against Panathinaikos. The first leg against the Greek side will take place at Ibrox on either July 22 or 23, with the Glasgow giants travelling for the return leg a week later.
