Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between Maccabi Tel Aviv and FC Midtjylland, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aiming to continue a perfect start to their Europa League campaign, FC Midtjylland will take on Maccabi Tel Aviv in Backa Topola on Thursday.
The Danish outfit have won their first two league-phase outings, while their opponents have managed just one point from their opening games.
Match preview
Maccabi Tel Aviv return to European action in Serbia on Thursday in search of their first win of the Europa League league phase at the third time of asking.
After dropping out of Champions League qualifying in the second round, the Israeli champions booked their spot in the continent’s secondary competition with aggregate victories over Hamrun Spartans and Dynamo Kiev, before kicking off in the league-phase with a goalless draw against Greek outfit PAOK.
A meeting with Dinamo Zagreb then followed in early October, but Zarko Lazetic‘s side came away empty-handed despite leading through Sayd Abu Farhi, as Mateo Lisica quickly levelled the scores and Dejan Ljubicic netted a brace to seal a 3-1 victory for the Croatian side.
The Yellows now head into Thursday’s contest on the back of a 1-1 draw with Maccabi Haifa last time out, keeping them second in the Israeli Premier League after six matches, having been pegged back by an injury-time equaliser after Itamar Noy had them ahead in the second half.
With their most recent outing against rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv last weekend postponed prior to kick off, Maccabi Tel Aviv return to action after a two-week break aiming to get their league-phase bid up and running with a three-point haul.
They face a tough test, though, with their opponents aiming to make it three wins from three league-phase games in Serbia on Thursday.
After a second-placed Danish Superliga finish last time around, FC Midtjylland began their European campaign in the second round of Europa League qualifying and progressed past Hibernian, Fredrikstad and KuPS to reach this stage.
The Hedens Drenge then began at home to Sturm Graz and picked up a 2-0 victory, before visiting Nottingham Forest in early October and leaving with all three points, having led 3-1 through Ousmane Diao, Mads Bech Sorensen and Valdemar Byskov and seen out a win after Chris Wood halved their lead in injury time.
Mike Tullberg‘s side have since extended an unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions, firstly playing out a creditable draw away at FC Copenhagen before hosting Vejle on Sunday and staying second in the Danish Superliga with a 5-1 triumph thanks to braces from Byskov and Franculino and a Paulinho goal.
With momentum growing under Tullberg, who only took charge in September, FC Midtjylland will now bid to make it three straight league-phase wins to further strengthen their standing as frontrunners for an automatic round-of-16 spot.
Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League form:
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Maccabi Tel Aviv form (all competitions):
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FC Midtjylland Europa League form:
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FC Midtjylland form (all competitions):
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Team News
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s attack should be led by Dor Peretz, who tops their scoring charts with seven goals in all competitions so far this season.
After only featuring off the bench late in their draw against Maccabi Haifa before the international break, 19-year-old Sayd Abu Farhi, who scored in their defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last time out in the Europa League, will hope to join him, while Kervin Andrade should also keep his place.
AZ Alkmaar loanee Kristijan Belic is a mainstay in the engine room, while Mohamed Camara and Raz Shlomo should partner in the middle of the defence.
FC Midtjylland could be unchanged from the weekend’s 5-1 beating of Vejle, with Kevin Mbabu, Ovie Ejeheri and Edward Chilufya set to remain sidelined by injuries.
Franculino is bound to lead the line, having moved onto 12 goals in all competitions for the season with his brace in that match, while Dario Osorio and Aral Simsir will continue in support of the front man.
Paulinho and Valdemar Byskov offer further attacking threat from wing-back roles, while former Bournemouth and Napoli man Philip Billing is a key man in the middle of their 3-4-3 shape.
Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:
Mishpati; Asante, Shlomo, Camara, Revivo; Belic, Noy; Abu Farhi, Andrade, Varela; Peretz
FC Midtjylland possible starting lineup:
Olafsson; Lee, Erlic, Sorensen; Byskov, Billing, Bravo, Paulinho; Simsir, Franculino, Osorio
We say: Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-2 FC Midtjylland
FC Midtjylland have shown their quality in the Europa League so far this season and only appear to be growing in confidence under the management of Mike Tullberg, and we back the free-scoring Danish side to again come out on top in Thursday’s clash in Serbia.
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