The penultimate game of the Danish Superliga sees last season’s top two rekindle their rivalry on Monday evening as Brondby welcome FC Midtjylland in a clash that could shape the fate of both sides’ ambitions in the current campaign.
While the visitors remain firmly in the title picture, the Boys from Vestegnen have fallen well short of last term’s push, though a European playoff spot remains within reach.
Match preview
© Imago
Brondby came heartbreakingly close to clinching the crown last season, entering the final matchday top of the pile, only to surrender the title by a single point following a costly defeat to Aarhus, finishing second on 62 points.
This term, the Wolves have failed to match that feat and currently sit fourth in the Championship round, level on 48 points with third-placed Randers, who are only ahead on goals scored.
Despite ending the regular season in sixth, Frederik Birk‘s men burst into the playoffs with purpose, recording four wins and scoring ten times in their opening five matches, but they have since stalled, going three games without victory and failing to find the net in two of those.
They did manage to hit the target twice in their most recent outing, however, drawing 2-2 away to Nordsjaelland in a match where the 11-time Superliga champions clawed back from a goal down to lead, only to see their advantage wiped out two minutes from regulation time.
As they aim to rediscover their edge, Brondby will take heart from their recent dominance over Midtjylland, winning the last four encounters across league and cup, including a 2-0 success at the start of the playoff round, though their home form remains a concern.
Birk’s side have picked up just two wins from their last six league matches on their own turf, drawing three and losing once, with that lone defeat being a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Copenhagen in their latest showing in front of their fans.
© Imago
Meanwhile, Midtjylland began their title defence like a house on fire, racing to six straight wins to open the campaign, and although the Wolves did not sustain that same level, they still topped the regular season by four points.
Yet in the playoffs, Thomas Thomasberg‘s men have looked a shadow of their early selves, claiming only three victories in eight matches, a run that saw them relinquish first place to Copenhagen.
The Wolves currently sit second on 57 points, just one behind the leaders, but will be ruing a missed opportunity to reclaim top spot following last weekend’s 1-1 draw away to Copenhagen, where Oliver Sorensen‘s opener was cancelled out seven minutes from regulation time.
That result extended Midtjylland’s winless streak on the road to four games, with two draws and two losses, a trend that leaves cause for concern ahead of a visit to a ground where recent history has not been kind to them.
Team News
© Imago
Brondby boss Birk will be without midfielder Noah Nartey, who serves a one-match suspension following his red card for a second bookable offence in the draw at Nordsjaelland.
The attacking burden will once again fall on the shoulders of Mathias Kvistgaarden and Yuito Suzuki, who have netted 16 and 11 goals, respectively, this season to lead the team’s scoring charts.
Tobias Bech returns to the fold for Midtjylland after serving a one-match ban for the red card he received against Aarhus two weeks ago and is expected to slot straight back in alongside Adam Buksa in attack.
Forward Gue-sung Cho remains sidelined with a knee problem, while winger Aral Simsir is also ruled out due to a muscle injury, leaving Thomasberg with fewer attacking options for the trip to Brondby.
Brondby possible starting lineup:
Pentz; Rasmussen, Alves, Klaiber; Divkovic, Wass, Tahirovic, Sebulonsen; Vallys, Kvistgaarden, Suzuki
FC Midtjylland possible starting lineup:
Lossl; Jensen, M. B. Sorensen, Han-beom, Mbabu; Gogorza, O. Sorensen, Bravo, Osorio; Bech, Buksa
We say: Brondby 1-1 FC Midtjylland
Although the hosts have conceded six goals in their last two league outings at home, Midtjylland themselves have struggled to make their mark at Brondby Stadium, failing to score in three of their last four visits across all competitions.
With Birk’s men lacking solidity on their own turf and the Wolves underwhelming away, a draw seems the most likely outcome in what could be a tightly contested, low-scoring affair.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
