Latest news with #ThomasThomasberg
Daily Record
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
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.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
What do we know about Midtjylland?
Hibs' Europa League qualifying opponents Midtjylland are owned by Denmark's richest man, Anders Holch four-times Danish champions are renowned for their data-driven and analytical style in player recruitment, development and are managed by 50-year-old former player Thomas Thomasberg, who returned from Randers in March 2023 for a second spell in 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 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 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 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 Poland striker Adam Buksa, 28, had a fruitful first season after his £4m move from Lens, netting 15 times in 39 games.
Scotsman
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs Europa League opponents revealed - and here's what you need to know about them
Danes are the dons of data - so can David Gray's men find the formula to leave Midtjylland stumped? 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... Hibs have been handed the toughest possible footballing challenge - but one of the easier logistical tests - for their opening fixtures in season 2024-45 after being drawn against regular European adventurers FC Midtjylland in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. They'll travel to Denmark on July 24, before hosting the second leg at Easter Road on July 31. Although Midtjylland undoubtedly represent the strongest seeded team Hibs could have been pitted against in today's low-key draw in Nyon, there are a couple of bonuses for David Gray's team. Starting with the fact that they know exactly who they'll be playing, instead of waiting on the winners of a first qualifying round tie that won't be settled until just a week before the second qualifying round kicks off. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Europa League second qualifying round - ties to be played July 24 and 31 First leg at home FC Lugano Paksi FC/CFR Cluj Saba/Celje AEK Larnaca/Partizan Belgrade Levski Sofia/Hapoel Beer-Sheva SC Braga Banik Ostrava Legia Warsaw/FC Aktobe Anderlecht Spartak Trnava/BK Hacken Sheriff Tiraspol/FC Prishtina Utrecht FC Midtjylland Hibernian Besiktas Shakhtar Donetksk/Ilves Tampere That means the Edinburgh club can immediately start preparing travel and accommodation plans. And they'll be just as relieved to have avoided the potentially risky trip to the disputed region of Transnistria, right on the Ukrainian border, to face Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol. Midtjylland are renowned as being at the forefront of data analysis and progressive coaching methods, having pioneered the use of scientific methods to beat the market by buying hot prospects at a low price - and selling them on for fortunes. Euro veterans faced Liverpool and Ajax in Champions League Thomas Thomasberg's team only just missed out on a second straight Danish title last season, finishing just a point behind Copenhagen. They're European veterans at the highest level, having reached the group stages of the Champions League as recently as season 2020-21, even if they did finish bottom of Group D behind Liverpool, Atalanta and Ajax. Regular qualifiers for some sort of UEFA competition, they didn't quite make it past the new league stages of the Europa League last season, missing out on the knock-out stages in a play-off. Hibs will be hoping, meanwhile, that star player Dario Osorio - a 21-year-old Chilean given free reign to attack across the front line - is sold before Gray's men travel to Denmark for that first leg. Marseille and Real Betis are just two of the European clubs linked with Osorio. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even if they lose their top young talent, Midtjylland boast plenty of firepower. Veteran Polish international striker Adam Buksa is a threat, while 20-year-old Guinea Bissau forward Francolino Dju will also take some stopping. Hibs face up to three European parachutes to break their fall this season, despite missing out on the guaranteed Conference League spot snatched out of their grasp by Aberdeen's Scottish Cup win. Should they fail to get past Midtjylland, Gray's men - who finished third in the Scottish Premiership - will drop into the third qualifying round for the Conference League. Get past the Danes and they'll be guaranteed at least a Conference League play-off, even if they lose in the Europa League third qualifying round.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
lowdown on all SIX potential opponents in today's draw
Everything you need to know about Shakhtar, Midtjylland, Anderlecht - and the disputed region Sheriff call home 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... UEFA have narrowed the field of potential opponents lying in wait for Hibs in today's Europa League second qualifying round draw. And we've put together a complete guide on all SIX teams David Gray's men could face. The draw begins at 12 noon UK time, with eight ties to be drawn. But UEFA split the draw into two groups this morning, separating the four seeded teams already in the second round - and dividing up the either/or ties involving teams in the first qualifying round. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hibs know, then, that they'll face one from the following list of clubs over two legs scheduled for July 24 and 31. So what do we know about the teams on the other side of the draw? Europa League second qualifying round draw - where Hibs fit in Seeded Unseeded FC Midtjylland (Denmark) Hibernian (Scotland) RSC Anderlecht (Belgium) Besiktas (Turkey) Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) OR Ilves Tampere (Finland) Utrecht (Netherlands) Sheriff Tirsapol (Moldova) OR FC Prishtina (Kosovo) Spartak Trvana (Slovakia) OR BK Hacken (Sweden) FC Midtjylland Famous for … The Danish data dons themselves, Midtjylland can lay claim to have revolutionised European football with their deep dive into numbers back in 2014. All the PPDA, xG, xG and pre-assist figures thrown around by modern football folk? These are the guys to thank/blame for that. Finished second in the Danish top flight last season. Missed out on back-to-back titles by a single point. European history Played Champions League group stage football as recently as season 2020-21, when they finished bottom of Group D behind Liverpool, Atalanta and Ajax. Regular qualifiers for some sort of UEFA competition, they didn't quite make it past the new league stages of the Europa League last season, missing out on the knock-out stages in a play-off. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Coach and star players The gaffer is a guy by the name of Thomas Thomasberg, while Midtjylland's star player – for now – is a Chilean firecracker by the name of Dario Osori. The 21-year-old attacker, given a free role by his boss, is currently being pursued by both Marseille and Real Betis. Their top scorer last season was experienced Polish international striker Adam Buksa, although he was only one goal ahead of 20-year-old Guinea Bissau striker Francolino Dju. RSC Anderlecht Famous for … Now we're talking old European aristocracy, right? Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht have been in with the establishment since the very start. They've got just the FIVE European trophies to show for their pedigree, with the most successful Belgian side in history picking up one UEFA Cup, two Cup Winners' Cups and two Super Cups. Do we need to mention the 34 league titles? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad European history All of the above happened in a bygone age for Anderlecht, who scooped up all of their European trophies in a golden era between 1975 and 1983. A lot has changed since then. But they're still a force of sorts, with their record over the past two seasons making them formidable opponents. They reached the Conference League quarter-finals in 2023 and, last season, got into the Europa League proper before exiting at the play-offs for the knock-out stages. Coach and star players Besnik Hasi, who returned to Anderlecht in March, has previous served as an assistant and head coach with the club, leading them to the Belgian league title in 2014. Will he prove that returning to the scene of former glories ISN'T always a bad idea? Leeds – or AN Other Premier League Club – could really do Hibs a favour by following up their reported interest, meanwhile, in former Ajax striker Kasper Dolberg. The Danish forward is a real threat. One currently attracting significant offers from clubs across Europe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Shakhtar Donetsk* Famous for … Well, apart from having their actual home ground in the middle of a war zone following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the team from the Donbass region were actually building quite a European reputation before the bombardment started way back in 2014. They'll play their European ties – including that first qualifying round tie against Finish side Ilves Tampere – in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Easily the most dangerous of the first-round qualifiers likely to be on the other side of the draw from Hibs. European history Shakhtar are Champions League regulars. Despite all the trials and tribulations they've faced in recent years, they've played in the group/league stages for the last EIGHT consecutive seasons. Finishing third in the Ukrainian Premier League last season sees them in unfamiliar territory – but strongly fancied to progress. Coach and star players Arda Turan has just taken over as gaffer, the former Atletico Madrid and Barcelona midfielder immediately vowing to wrest the title back for a club still backed by the supremely wealthy Rinat Akhmetov. He'll be given leeway in the transfer market to do it, as well. In terms of on-field star potential, attacking midfielder Artem Bondarenko definitely catches the eye with his goals, assists and all-round consistency, with the 24-year-old playing in 41 of his team's 42 matches last season. That's not to overlook 22-year-old Brazilian winger Kevin. Not just because he's called Kevin, but because he can be devastatingly good on his day. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ilves Tampera* Famous for … Probably for losing to Shakhtar over two legs, you'd have to think. Never say never, though. And the Finnish side are halfway through their league season already, which is an always an advantage. They currently sit second in the Veikkausliiga. European history Almost negligible. Made it to the third qualifying round of the Conference League last season. Have never played European group/league stage football. Coach and star players They've got a young gaffer in 37-year-old Joonas Rantanen, who didn't play to any level. Mostly a homegrown team with just a handful of overseas players – including a Brazilian defender and a goalie from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Sheriff Tiraspol* Famous for … They've got arguably the most complicated status of any team in UEFA competition this year. Officially representing Moldova in European football, Sheriff are actually from the self-declared independent nation of Transnistria. Which isn't recognised as a country by, well, just about anyone outside of Tiraspol, to be honest. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad European history Famously beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu back in a spectacular Champions League upset back in September of 2021. More recently, though, it's been a mixed bag. They did reach the last 16 of the Conference League in season 2022-23. But didn't get past the third qualifying round of UEFA's third-tier competition last season. Coach and star players Currently under the leadership of Victor Mihailov, Sheriff have money to spend. Nigerian forward Rasheen Akanbi is one to watch, with Mauritanian winger Papa Ndiaga Yade another to keep an eye on, should Tiraspol do the expected and get past FC Prishtina in their first qualifying round. FC Prishtina* Famous for … They're the most successful club in the short history of Kosovan football, with 11 titles since the independent Super League was set up in 1991. But they only finished sixth in the ten-team top flight last season, earning their Europa League spot by winning the Kosovar Cup. European history Have never made it to a group/league stage. No significant results to speak of. Unless you include a 3-0 forfeit to Lincoln Red Imps back in 2020, after most of the Prishtina squad tested positive for Covid to force two postponements. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Coach and star players Arsim Thaqui took over on an emergency footing after the sacking of Frenchman Jean-Michel Cavalli back in April - and promptly delivered that Cup win. And players? Come on. They're not getting past Sheriff.
