Preview:SK Brann vs. FC Utrecht - prediction, team news, lineups

SK Brann aim to extend their six-match unbeaten run against Dutch clubs on Thursday, when they host FC Utrecht in matchday two of the Europa League at Brann Stadion.

The Norwegian side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Lille on matchday one of the league phase, while Ron Jans’s men struggled to break down typically solid Lyon, who secured a 1-0 victory in the Netherlands last week.

Match preview

Brann's seven-match unbeaten streak was snapped by Lille last week when Olivier Giroud scored for the French club in the 80th minute, handing Bergens Stolthet their first defeat in any competition since mid-August against Hacken.

The loss to the French side was particularly painful, as Fotballrepublikken had fought back to level the score through Saevar Atli Magnusson in the 60th minute and perhaps created the game’s best chances.

Unsurprisingly, Freyr Alexandersson’s team returned to winning ways at the weekend, beating Fredrikstad 1-0 — their second clean sheet in three matches and in consecutive Eliteserien gameweeks, ahead of another European clash with a Dutch side.

Recent encounters with Dutch clubs have favoured the Norwegian club, highlighted by a six-match unbeaten streak (two wins, four draws), following a prior four-match winless run against such opposition from 1977 to 1983.

In their first home match in Bergen in the competition since the 2007-08 season, Alexandersson will instruct his players to aim for their seventh game without losing to a Dutch team.

Utrecht hope to end their hosts’ positive streak against Dutch clubs, aiming to recover from last week’s 1-0 defeat to Lyon at Stadion Galgenwaard.

Jans’s side went into the match aware that the Ligue 1 team had kept four clean sheets in five French top-flight games, and the Cupfighters failed to score despite their efforts.

Although that resulted in defeat, the Dutch club will be eager for a positive result in their first away fixture in the Europa League since December 2010.

On that occasion, Utreg held Liverpool to a scoreless draw at Anfield 15 years ago, and a similar result against Norwegian opposition would be a small step forward for the Dutch team.

However, the Cupfighters need to find solutions to their ongoing four-match winless streak across all competitions, with three defeats in that run.

Nevertheless, Jans's team will draw confidence from a 2-2 draw with Heerenveen in the Eredivisie on Sunday, which ended their three-match losing streak of 1-0 results against Groningen, Fortuna Sittard and Lyon.

SK Brann Europa League form:

SK Brann form (all competitions):

FC Utrecht Europa League form:

FC Utrecht form (all competitions):

Team News

Lars Bjornerud Remmem and Markus Haaland are on international duty with Norway's Under-20 team at the ongoing World Cup, ruling both out on Thursday.

Injury doubts concern Jonas Torsvik and Joachim Soltvedt, who are nursing knocks, although Niklas Jensen Wassberg (knee) and Sakarias Opsahl (foot) are likely to miss out.

With league top scorer Aune Heggebo joining West Bromwich Albion and assist leader Soltvedt doubtful, the hosts will look to five-goal forward Saevar Atli Magnusson to shoulder the attacking responsibilities.

While Utrecht came through Sunday's draw with Heerenveen unscathed, Rafik El Arguioui (knee), Davy van den Berg, Dani de Wit (leg), Yoann Cathline and Victor Jensen (hamstring, also ineligible) are all sidelined; Jensen's absence is doubly damaging as the Dane scored five goals in qualifying.

Souffian El Karouani remains a threat from left-back, and the wide defender, who scored at the weekend to bring his tally to five goal involvements in the Eredivisie, could play a decisive attacking role on Thursday.

David Min, recently scoring his third league goal this season, is expected to replace Sebastien Haller at centre-forward, with the Ivorian yet to score in 2025-26.

SK Brann possible starting lineup:

Dyngeland; Pedersen, Knudsen, Helland, Dragsnes; Kornvig, Sorensen, Myhre; Castro, Holm, Magnusson

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Horemans, Van der Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; Vesterlund, Zechiel, Engwanda; Rodriguez, Min, Murkin