Preview:Viktoria Plzen vs Malmo - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams in managerial transition will be fighting for their first Europa League victory on Thursday, when Viktoria Plzen welcome Malmo to Doosan Arena for their second league phase game of the season.

The Czech First League side are hoping to end their three-match winless run, while Di Blae are aiming to build on their triumph earlier in the week.

Match preview

Plzen finished runners-up in the Czech top flight in 2024-25, and while they had expected to kick on this time around, they find themselves 10 points behind leaders Sparta Prague just 10 games into the campaign.

As a result, Miroslav Koubek's tenure as manager was brought to an end by mutual agreement on Monday, after the team were beaten 1-0 by now-fourth-placed Zlin.

Marek Bakos has been appointed interim manager, and he - assisted by Zdenek Becka - will take charge of this Europa League clash as his first game in the hotseat.

However, change seems to be in the air in Plzen with news that the club also have new owners after being acquired by Palatua, a company owned by Czech billionaire Michal Strnad.

Strnad has stated his desire to develop Viktoria both on and off the pitch in order to bring regular European football to the team, while also investing heavily in youth and working with the city government to strengthen Czech football more broadly.

For the time being, Bakos will be out to better the 1-1 draw with Ferencvaros that his predecessor achieved on matchday one, and considering that his team have lost just once at Doosan Arena across all competitions in 2025-26, fans will feel hopeful on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Henrik Rydstrom won back-to-back Swedish Allsvenskan titles with Malmo in 2023 and 2024, but with the team currently fifth in the table, 18 points behind leaders Mjallby, the head coach was sacked.

The decision was made after Di Blae were beaten 2-1 by Ludogorets Razgrad on matchday one of the Europa League, and chairman Anders Palsson cited a "long time ... lack of sporting performance and results" despite investment and support as the reason for the former chief's dismissal.

Centre-back Pontus Jansson spoke about his ex-manager in the aftermath, and described how the team would struggle to find their way out of moments of strife under Rydstrom, though he accepted the players' role in a lacklustre 2025 campaign that could see Malmo miss out on qualifying for UEFA competition altogether.

Anes Mravac has now taken interim charge of Di Blae, and despite the quick turnaround, he was able to earn three points on Sunday when his side came from behind to win 3-2 against Varnamo.

That being said, Varnamo are rooted to the foot of the Allsvenskan table with only 12 points from 25 games, and the fact that the defending Swedish champions conceded first and later found themselves pegged back to 2-2 will not fill fans with confidence.

However, Malmo have won three of their last four on the road, and after losing only one of their last 11 away matches across all competitions - winning seven and drawing three - the visitors will be hoping to continue their strong travelling form on Thursday.

Viktoria Plzen Europa League form:

Viktoria Plzen form (all competitions):

Malmo Europa League form:

Malmo form (all competitions):

Team News

Plzen could be missing right-sided defender Lukas Hejda for this clash, and a back three of Jan Paluska, Sampson Dweh and Vaclav Jemelka are set to start on Thursday.

Further forward, 17-year-old attacking midfielder Jiri Maxim Panos is out due to illness, so expect to see Denis Visinsky just behind centre-forwards Prince Kwabena Adu and Rafiu Durosinmi, the latter of whom netted against Ferencvaros.

As for Malmo, they will be without winger Arnor Sigurdsson in midweek, as he works his way back from a thigh injury, as well as striker Erik Botheim due to a broken leg that has kept him sidelined since May.

In their absence, Emmanuel Ekong and Hugo Bolin could start out wide, supporting a strike partnership of Daniel Gudjohnsen and Sead Haksabanovic up top.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Johan Dahlin is closing in on a return from a curate ligament injury, though this match comes too soon for the shot stopper, and Robin Olsen should line up between the sticks behind a centre-back pairing of Pontus Jansson and Colin Rosler.

Viktoria Plzen possible starting lineup:

Wiegele; Paluska, Dweh, Jemelka; Memic, Souare, Cerv, Doski; Visinsky; Adu, Durosinmi

Malmo possible starting lineup:

Olsen; Stryger Larsen, Jansson, Rosler, Busanello; Ekong, Johnsen, Skogmar, Bolin; Gudjohnsen, Haksabanovic

We say: Viktoria Plzen 1-1 Malmo

Plzen may be in poor form at the moment, but their excellent record at Doosan Arena could see them pick up another point in midweek.

Likewise, Malmo were beaten on matchday one and have lost two of their last three games, but their resilience on the road will give them some hope on Thursday.

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