Malmo and Union Berlin will both be fighting for their first points of the Europa League campaign when they face each other on Thursday.
Both teams have lost their opening two matches in the competitions, making the upcoming meeting a must-win game for each side.
Match preview
© Reuters
After competing in the Champions League group stage last season, Malmo would have retained high hopes of making an impact in the Europa League this season, especially having retained their Swedish Allsvenskan title.
However, successive defeats to Braga and Union Saint-Gilloise have left them without a point after two matches in Group D, putting them under significant pressure to beat the Bundesliga leaders on Thursday.
It has been a topsy-turvy season for Malmo so far, with Milos Milejovic relieved of his managerial duties less than seven months into his reign after overseeing the disappointing 3-0 aggregate defeat to Lithuanian side FK Zalgiris in the first round of Champions League qualifying.
Former Norway boss Age Hareide has been selected as his successor to take charge of The Blue Ones for the second time after winning the domestic double with the club in 2014, and he has improved their league form at least by guiding them to seven points from three matches.
However, Hareide and his players will desperately be hoping to put an end to their run of defeats in the Europa League, but they will fully appreciate the scale of the task in front of them given Union Berlin's excellent start to the domestic campaign.
© Reuters
Indeed, despite being defeated 2-0 by Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend, Urs Fischer's side remain top of the Bundesliga on goal difference after taking 17 points from eight matches.
However, things have not gone to plan in only their second ever Europa League campaign so far, with two defeats to Union Saint-Galloise and Braga leaving them level with Malmo on zero points ahead of their trip to Sweden this week.
Fischer's side often rely on fine margins to go their way in order to win matches and that has gone against them in Europe, with two 1-0 defeats illustrating how important it is for a team with their counter-attacking style to score the first goal in the match.
As such, the 56-year-old will be imploring his side to keep things tight at Elede Stadion on Thursday, as they simply cannot afford a third successive defeat if they are to remain in the competition.
Team News
© Reuters
Malmo are without Niklas Moisander and Adi Nalic for the foreseeable future due to serious ACL injuries, while Sergio Pena and Mahame Siby are doubtful for Thursday's tie due to knocks.
Former Ipswich Town full-back Jonas Knudsen and Blackburn Rovers winger Martin Olsson are likely to combine down the home side's left flank.
Union Berlin, meanwhile, are expected to travel without Julian Ryerson (cold) and Kevin Mohwald (muscle), while Sven Michel is still suspended after his straight red card against Union Saint-Gilloise on matchday one.
Andras Schafer and Robin Knoche will be hoping for some involvement having been named on the bench for the weekend's defeat to Frankfurt.
Malmo possible starting lineup:
Dahlin; Beijmo, Nielsen, Hadzikadunic, Knudsen; Berget, Lewicki, Zeidan; Ceesay, Thelin, Olsson
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Jaeckel, Baumgart, Knoche; Trimmel, Schafer, Khedira, Haberer, Griesselmann; Becker, Siebatcheu
We say: Malmo 0-2 Union Berlin
Both teams need to win this match to stand a realistic chance of progressing to the knockout stages, and we can envisage an entertaining match as a result.
However, there is little doubt that the visitors possess greater individual quality, which should help them record the first victory of their European campaign.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Brett Curtis
