What do we know about Midtjylland?
Hibs' Europa League qualifying opponents Midtjylland are owned by Denmark's richest man, Anders Holch Povlsen.The four-times Danish champions are renowned for their data-driven and analytical style in player recruitment, development and tactics.Midtjylland are managed by 50-year-old former player Thomas Thomasberg, who returned from Randers in March 2023 for a second spell in charge.Despite six wins and a draw in their final seven Danish Superliga outings last season, Thomasberg's men were pipped to the title by FC Copenhagen, who finished a point clear.On the European front, Midtjylland were beaten in the Champsion League play-off round by Slovan Bratislava last term and dropped down to the Europa League. A 20th-place finish in the league phase sent them through to the knockout stage play-offs where they succumbed to La Liga side Real Sociedad.The Danes have faced Scottish opposition twice before. Rangers claimed a 7-3 aggregate win in the Europa League third qualifying round in 2019-20, while Midtjylland dispatched Celtic 3-2 over two legs in the Champions League second qualifying round in 2021-22.Guinae-Bissua striker Franculino is a player Hibs should be wary of after the 20-year-old finished last season as the Danish club's top scorer with 16 goals in 41 appearances while also delivering six assists.And Poland striker Adam Buksa, 28, had a fruitful first season after his £4m move from Lens, netting 15 times in 39 games.
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Daily Record
39 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Children of Rangers fan killed in Turkey release Father's Day balloons at Ibrox
Christopher Potter passed on a European away trip before Rangers defeated 3-1 in their Europa League round-of-16 first leg. The children of a Rangers fan who was killed in Istanbul have celebrated their first Father's Day without their dad by releasing balloons inside Ibrox which magically flew to his season ticket seat. Christopher Potter tragically died after he was struck by two cars in Besiktas on Thursday, March 6 prior to the Gers' 3-1 first-leg victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League round-of-16. The 40-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind children Jak, 20, Millie, 13, and Teddy, 6, and wife Holly. For the family, Sunday marked the first Father's Day without Christopher. To mark the occasion, Teddy and Millie released blue and white balloons inside Ibrox to honour their late dad. Upon their release, one of their balloons made its way to Christopher's season ticket seat in section GE2. As the balloons flew across towards the section, his late-wife Holly could be heard saying: "That's where your dad sits." Holly told the Record: "The first Father's Day without Christopher was obviously really hard for us all. "But though he's no longer here with us, his love still echoes in our hearts every single day. "We celebrated him on Father's Day at his favourite place, Ibrox, not with gifts or cards but with memories, tears and gratitude. "He might be out of sight, but he's never out of mind. We miss him more than words can say. "It was a sign, I think, that one of the balloons flew straight up to the sky and the other went over to the area where his seat was. "It shows that he is always looking over us." Since Christopher's untimely passing, Rangers have rallied around the family. His youngest son Teddy was welcomed to Ibrox for the 4-0 victory over Aberdeen on May 11 and met Rangers' Players' Player of the Year Nicolas Raskin - who described the encounter with the youngster as "what football's all about' in his Instagram story. Christopher's wife Holly previously told the Record about how supportive Rangers and its supporters have been throughout the horrific ordeal. She said: 'Since his dad passed, Teddy has really embraced football and Rangers have become a huge passion of his. I know how much that would have meant to Christopher and I like to think that he is looking down with a smile on his face, proud that Teddy is following in his footsteps. 'I have to say a huge thank you to the fans and the Rangers family. They really went above and beyond for him and it meant so much. 'I also have to thank Nico Raskin for taking the time to come over and pose for a pic with Teddy and also posting it on his own social media. Again, the fans were responsible for arranging that and it was just the perfect ending to a perfect day for Teddy." The youngster led the team out with Rangers stopper Jack Butland during their 2-0 defeat to Hibernian at Ibrox on April 5. Butland previously reached out to the family to meet up with him and his mother at Ibrox for the home-leg against Fenerbahce. At the 40th minute of the game, thousands of Rangers supporters paid tribute to Christopher with a roaring applause. Banners were held up in his memory reading: "With the angels you'll be singing, our very special friend. Christopher Potter 1984-2025." Christopher's devastated wife Holly spoke about how her family were overwhelmed. She said at the time: "I was totally overwhelmed at the outpouring of emotion. 'The Rangers family really came together. I know Christopher would have been chuffed to bits to see how they paid their respects and credit to the Fenerbahce fans for joining in too. 'I have to thank all the players from the bottom of my heart. The pain we are all feeling at the moment is indescribable, but there is some comfort knowing how well loved and well-thought of Christopher was.' Christopher, a roofer with SLK Roofing, was hit by a vehicle while crossing a road and was then struck by another car. He was returning to his hotel by taxi after leaving an entertainment venue when he stopped the taxi to withdraw money. According to local reports, one of the motorists was jailed for 'murder by negligence' while the other was released on probation. On March 29, mourners lined the streets of Glasgow to pay their final respects to to the late father-of-three, also known as 'Mr Duke Street', as the Dennistoun Rangers Flute band played Melody as the procession made its way to Daldowie Crematorium. Fans stood on the roof of the Bristol Bar with flags and flares as banners reading "let me tell you that I love you all the time", "simply the best" and "Potter forever" draped from the roof. During the funeral, Christopher was remembered as a "much loved and much respected" son, a doting father and uncle who was "exceptionally hard working" by his loved ones. Following his death, a fundraiser for his family raised over £180,000. Rangers captain James Tavernier, interim manager Barry Ferguson and goalie Jack Butland were amongst those who donated to the appeal. Charity boss Andy Smilie also donated £10,000 to the family. Holly previously said: 'I have been totally overwhelmed by the support I have received from everyone. Of course, no amount of money will bring Christopher back but it will be shared among his children. Fly high Christopher, we loved you so much.' A Rangers spokesperson said: "Christopher will be missed by everyone who knew him and the thoughts of everyone at Rangers are with his family and friends at this time." A spokesperson for the Foreign Office previously told the Record: 'We are aware of the death of a British man in Turkey and are in touch with the local authorities.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Hibs Euro history laid bare as lack of group stage football stands out
Some highs, a few lows, a meeting with young Erling Haaland - and some uproarious away days for fans Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Midtjylland lie in wait. And, while David Gray's men will travel with confidence and hope springing eternal, Hibernian's recent record in Europe – certainly compared to that of their Europa League opponents – suggests they don't have the pedigree to compete with the Danes. Every Easter Road regular knows, of course, that Hibs were the first British team to venture into continental competition way back in the European Cup's inaugural season. You may have noticed the ticket push for a certain celebratory friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen, the German club defeated in that ground-breaking tie in 1955, in Edinburgh next month. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the 70 years since that tie, Hibs have enjoyed contrasting fortunes. From reaching two semi-finals in their first two European outings – they'd follow up their run to the last four of the European Cup by doing the same in the old Fairs Cup in season 1960-61 – to some, erm, less illustrious landmarks. UEFA seem to have officially forgotten the short-lived oddity that was the Intertoto Cup. And that probably suits a few Scottish clubs very nicely, thanks. As they prepare for to face Midtjylland in the last week of July, then, it's worth reviewing exactly how Hibs have fared since, oh, let's say 2010. A nice round number. With a guy called David Gray continually cropping up for some reason. 2024-25 – Did Not Qualify No place for Hibs in Europe? They didn't even make the top six in season 2023-24, missing out in the final pre-split fixture. They had to watch from afar as others 'enjoyed' various degrees of success – and paid a domestic price for their European efforts. 2023-24 – Europa Conference League play-off Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Villa Park. A Hibs presence well in excess of the 2000 or so tickets officially sold for the away end of a second leg that was already the deadest of dead rubbers following a 5-0 home defeat in the first encounter with John McGinn and chums. Just getting to face Premier League opposition was the reward for battling through both the second and third qualifying rounds of UEFA's third-tier competition, as Hibs – who had finished FIFTH in the Scottish Premiership the previous season – were handed the toughest of routes to the group stages. Lee Johnson's men battered Andorran side Inter Club D'Escaldes 7-3 on aggregate. And then enjoyed one of their best European results for a very long time as they battled past Swiss side FC Luzern in dramatic fashion, a 2-2 away draw following a thrilling 3-1 home win. Johnson was sacked in between the first legs of the Villa tie, leaving interim boss David Gray to pit his wits against Unai Emery in the second match. Quite the experience for the aspiring gaffer … 2022-23 – DNQ Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Finished seventh in the league and went out of the Scottish Cup at the semi-final stage in season 2021-22, closing off any hopes of qualifying for Europe the following year. 2021-22 – Europa Conference League third qualifying round Got past Andorran opposition in Santa Colomba easily enough. Then fell to Croatian side Rijeka, despite a battling 1-1 draw at Easter Road in the first leg. Ten-man Hibs were battered 4-1 win the away leg. Darren McGregor's red card midway through the second half prompted a flurry of Rijeka goals to kill the tie. 2020-21 and 2019-20 – DNQ Let's draw a veil over these years, shall we? 2018-19 – Europa League third qualifying round Hibs would be delighted to get this far in 2025, you might imagine, now that failure in the third qualifying round of the Europa League comes with a soft landing in the Conference League play-offs. That wasn't the case before yet another UEFA revamp. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the summer of 2018, Hibs more than held their own to get through two full rounds of qualifying before losing to Molde. Who had a young forward by the name of Erling Haaland in their starting XI. After battering Faroese team Runavik 12-5 on aggregate, Hibs edged past Greek opposition in the shape of Asteras Tripolis 4-3 over two legs. Then came Molde, who got a nil-nil at Easter Road before winning 3-0 at home, with that man Gray – who had flown in straight from the maternity ward after the birth of daughter Ada – left fuming on the bench until thrown on by Neil Lennon with two minutes to go. 2017-18 – DNQ There was no European place available for winning the Championship. Prize enough in itself as Hibs returned to the top flight. 2016-17 – Europa League second qualifying round How did Hibs qualify for Europe again? Can't have been the league position; you don't get anything for finishing third in the Scottish Championship. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They must have won a cup or something. Yeah, that sounds about right … Their reward for Gray's moment of glory at Hampden was a penalty shoot-out loss to Brondby after a 1-1 draw on aggregate. The Danes won at Easter Road, only for a superb goal from … oh, that guy Gray again, to level the tie. 2015-16 and 2014-15 – DNQ Weren't even in the same postcode as the qualification places. 2013-14 – Europa League second qualifying round Pat Fenlon's men had it all to do after losing 2-0 to Malmo in Sweden. The second leg didn't quite go to plan. An aggregate loss of 9-0 never looks good. 2012-13 and 2011-12 – DNQ Shut out for two straight seasons after difficult domestic fortunes. 2010-11 – Europa League third qualifying round Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad John Hughes was at the helm when Maribor ran out 6-2 aggregate winners over Hibs in August of 2010. The Slovenians were 3-0 up from the first leg in Maribor, leaving Yogi's boys with an almost impossible task at home.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Celtic striker condition set, Rangers duo to stay, Hearts complete medical, Hibs in 'advanced talks'
Your Thursday morning transfer bulletin involving Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Here are the latest transfer rumours surrounding Scottish football on Thursday morning, including Rangers, Celtic and more. Celtic fee 'agreed' for 3-cap international Celtic are closing in on their second signing of the summer after agreeing a fee with Nordsjaelland for winger Benjamin Nygren. The 23-year-old has caught the eye of Brendan Rodgers after scoring 16 goals in 30 appearances for the Danish Superliga side, and the club have now struck up a deal of £1.7million in order to bring him to Celtic Park, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Parkhead club have already confirmed the return of Scotland international left-back Kieran Tierney, and will now 'look to finalize' a deal for Nygren, who is reported to have already agreed terms on a contract with the champions. Expected to offer competition on the wings, Celtic are said to have beaten off several clubs to the signing of the Swedish international, whose contract expires in six months. The player has garnered interest from across Europe after scoring two goals in his first three international games for Sweden, while he also landed a place in the Superliga Team of the Year. Celtic also remain in talks with Royal Antwerp over a deal for Michel-Ange Balikwisha, with 24-year-old winger 'keen' on a move, according to transfer guru Sacha Tavolieri. Sweden's Benjamin Nygren is close to finalising a summer move to Celtic. | TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Ima Trio circle for ex-Rangers ace Former Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence is being chased by a trio of EFL Championship clubs following his Ibrox release last month, according to several reports. The Welsh midfielder spent three years at Rangers, but struggled with injury throughout his time in Glasgow. Lawrence left the club this summer after scoring 21 goals in 130 appearances for the club after arriving from Derby County in July 2022. The ex-Manchester United academy product had spent the bulk of his career in the English second tier prior to his move to Rangers, and now looks set to return to the league, with West Bromwich Albion, Wrexham and Coventry City all mulling over a deal for Lawrence. It appears Wrexham have the strongest interest though, with the newly promoted side offered him an emotional move to his hometown club, alongside a competitive salary. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Lawrence left Rangers last month following the expiry of his contract. | Getty Images Hibs in 'advanced talks' over exit Hibs are ready to allow striker Dylan Vente leave the club on a permanent basis this summer, with talks over a move to Heerenveen believed to be an 'advanced stage'. The 26-year-old striker cost the Leith outfit around £700,000 upon his arrival from Dutch outfit Roda JC in 2023, but struggled to make his mark at Easter Road, finding the net just 10 times in two seasons. The Suriname international rediscovered his goal scoring touch last season after making a loan move to PEC Zwolle though, bagging 13 goals in 30 Eredivisie games, leading Heerenveen to pounce for the forward this summer. Reports claims Hibs will make a profit on the striker, though no fee has been confirmed as yet. On-loan Hibs striker Dylan Vente rediscovered his form at Zwolle. | SNS Group Hearts 'complete medical' Hearts boss Derek McInnes is expected to complete the signing of former Scotland international Stuart Findlay, with the centre-back reported to have completed his medical on Tynecastle ahead of a loan move from Oxford United. As per Sky Sports, the ex-Kilmarnock defender is due to link up with his former boss McInnes in Gorgie on a deal until the end of the season, before agreeing a permanent transfer next summer when his contract expires at the Kassam Stadium. The transfer will be the Jambos sixth signing of the summer, having already completed deals for Christian Borchgrevink, Alexandros Kyziridis, Elton Kabangu, Oisin McEntee and Cláudio Braga. Hearts have also confirmed that goalkeeper Ryan Fulton has signed a one-year contract extension with the club, subject to Scottish FA approval. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Derek McInnes chats with Stuart Findlay during the pair's time at Kilmarnock. | SNS Group Rangers want duo to stay following Russell Martin decision Rangers head coach Russell Martin is keen to hang onto Hamza Igamane and Nicolas Raskin next season, with the ex-Southampton boss hoping he can build his new Ibrox team around the duo amid reported interest in their services from the English Premier League. According to a report from Pete O'Rouke, Martin has identified the pair as a vital cog in his Rangers starting XI, though the club are 'susceptible to big offers' despite their recent takeover from Andrew Cavenagh's consortium. Igamane has been linked with Everton in recent weeks, though it has been reported that Rangers would ask for a 'huge price' in order to allow him to leave this summer, with fellow forward Cyriel Dessers in talks over a move to AEK Athens. Belgian international Raskin has also been linked to the English top flight, with a report from Flemish site Het Nieuwsblad claiming Aston Villa had opened talks with the 24-year-old over a move to the Midlands. They claim Villa boss Unai Emery is keen to reunite Raskin with his international teammates Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana and that the deal will be dependant on 'negotiations between the clubs and the ambitions of Raskin himself." Reports claims Nicolas Raskin is in talks with Aston Villa - though Russell Martin wants the midfielder to stay at Ibrox. | Getty Images Celtic condition set for striking target Celtic have been told there is a realistic chance they could complete an ambitious transfer for Republic Of Ireland international striker Evan Ferguson - but only if other clubs opt against making an offer for the 20-year-old this summer. The young striker, who was valued at around £100million when he burst onto the scene just two seasons ago, has fallen down the pecking order at Brighton, and struggled to make an impact on loan to West Ham United in the second-half of last season, failing to score in eight appearances at the London Stadium. It is understood that the Seagulls are open to offloading the young striker on a permanent basis this summer. A boyhood Celtic fan, Ferguson has been loosely linked with the Hoops over the last 12 months as he looks to reignite his stuttering career, but a permanent move would likely prove difficult to complete due to the high price Brighton are expected demand for his services. However, according to a new report from Record Sport's Keith Jackson, Celtic could swoop in for a loan deal should Ferguson remain available during the final moments of the summer transfer window. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
