Preview: Nordsjaelland vs. Viborg FF - prediction, team news, lineups

Last year's Danish Superliga runners-up Nordsjaelland host Viborg FF in their opening game of the new season on Monday.

In a repeat of a fixture from the final day last season, it is one of the standout games on the curtain-raising weekend between two sides who finished in the top four.

Match preview

After a very competitive showing across the whole campaign, it was ultimately anti-climactic for Nordsjaelland, as they squandered the chance to take the title race to the final day.

A surprise 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Brondby on the penultimate weekend handed the title to Copenhagen.

Nordsjaelland had beaten Copenhagen 3-2 just a couple of weeks prior to leave the gap at just one point, but that defeat paired with FCK's win versus Viborg meant the title went to the capital.

A second-placed finish means Nordsjaelland earned a Europa Conference League spot, something which would have been welcomed at the start of the season.

This will be just the second time in 10 seasons that the club will play European football, as they have struggled in the years since current Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand left, after winning the league title in 2012.

Johannes Thorup's men will enter at the third qualifying round, so still face Aarhus and Brondby after this opening game before getting their European adventure underway.

Viborg also enjoyed a positive season in just their second season back at this level, recording their highest league finish since the 2005-06 season.

After three frustrating near misses for promotion, Viborg finally came up for the 2021-22 season, and last season ended with them finishing fourth in the Championship Group.

There was disappointment for Jacob Friis's men though, as they were beaten by Relegation Group winners Midtjylland in the domestic Europa Conference League playoff.

Automatic qualification could have been secured if they finished in the top three, but a run of just one win from their final five games meant they missed out on goal difference.