Preview: FC Midtjylland vs KuPS - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Midtjylland will welcome Finnish champions KuPS to the MCH Arena for the first leg of their all-Scandinavian Europa League playoff tie on Thursday evening.

KuPS are already guaranteed a first ever appearance in a UEFA competition, but will travel to Herning hoping to keep the tie alive ahead of next week’s meeting in Kuopio.

Match preview

Midtjylland will face fellow Scandinavian opposition for the second round in a row in the Europa League, after defeating Norwegians Fredrikstad in the previous round.

Thomas Thomasberg’s men sailed through the third round much more easily than they did in the previous round, when they needed a 119th-minute winner at Easter Road to beat Hibernian.

Fredrikstad put up much less of a fight, with Midtjylland eventually winning 5-1 on aggregate, courtesy of victories in both legs, which have contributed to an impressive 14-game unbeaten streak for the hosts.

Midtjylland finished second, one point behind champions Copenhagen last season, despite leading the way before the split, meaning they had to settle for second-tier UEFA action this season.

The Danes are often strong in qualifying though, reaching the group stage/league phase in four of the last five seasons, including one occasion in the Champions League.

Midtjylland even reached the knockouts of the Europa League last season, after finishing 20th in the league phase, but they were no match for Real Sociedad, who eliminated them 7-3 on aggregate.

It has not been a vintage start to the Superliga season, but Midtjylland still look set to compete near the top, with nine points on the board from five games placing them in the European spots at this early stage.

In the meantime, KuPS have been in scintillating form both in Finland and in Europe, as they surprised the odds slightly to knock RFS out last midweek.

That is part of a run of form that has seen KuPS record five wins a row in all competitions, including in both legs against RFS, sealing qualification for a UEFA competition for the first time in their history.

KuPS have featured in qualifying for the Conference League in all four seasons of that competition’s existence, failing to get over the line in each of them, after also losing a Europa League playoff to Cluj in 2020.

However, entering the season as Finnish champions gave them an excellent opportunity, knowing two wins across the four rounds would ensure Conference League football at worst.

Jarkko Wiss’s men beat surprise Moldovan champions Milsami in the first round of Champions League qualifying, before losing to Kairat in the following round, but last week’s win over RFS was an historic moment for the club.

Overall, it has been a sensational week for KuPS, as they also came from behind to beat Veikkausliga leaders Inter Turku 2-1 at the weekend, closing the gap at the top to three points with seven games remaining.

FC Midtjylland Europa League form:

D W W W

FC Midtjylland form (all competitions):

W D W D W W

KuPS Europa League form:

W W

KuPS form (all competitions):

L W W W W W

Team News

Midtjylland’s Zambian attacker Edward Chilufya was banned at the weekend following a domestic dismissal, and even though he will be available here, a start on the bench is likely.

Defender Ousmane Diao has been missing since May with a foot problem in their only injury concern, but Thomasberg still only opted to make four personnel changes at the weekend.

Martin Erlic made his full debut after arriving from Bologna in an eye-catching move, spending most of the money recouped from Oliver Sorensen’s transfer to Parma.

KuPS handed out debuts to both ADO Den Haag-loanee Taneli Hamalainen and former Spartak Varna man Pa Konate at the weekend, despite both players joining the club late last week.

Those two could be in the side again, but they will be without Ghanaian duo Clinton Antwi and Derrick Agyei, as well as Arttu Lotjonen, who has missed the last three.

FC Midtjylland possible starting lineup:

Olafsson; Gabriel, Erlic, Bech Sorensen, Paulinho; Simsir, Bravo, Castillo, Osorio; Buksa, Franculino

KuPS possible starting lineup:

Kreidl; Savolainen, Cisse, Miettinen, Armah; Oksanen, Arifi, Voutilainen; Ruoppi, Toure, Pennanen

We say: FC Midtjylland 3-0 KuPS

Midtjylland are huge favourites for this first leg, with KuPS’ European experience severely lacking, and after reaching the knockout rounds of the Europa League last season, the hosts will be expected to make the league phase again with little fuss.

KuPS have already had an extraordinary run in qualifying, as even dropping into the Conference League will still represent a huge achievement, while anything more would be a huge shock.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.