The Danish Superliga season opener between Aarhus and FC Midtjylland promises an exciting start to the new campaign.
With Midtjylland defending their title and Aarhus looking to improve on their previous season's efforts, this match is set to be a thrilling encounter.
Team Form and Performance
Aarhus
Aarhus ended the last season in fifth place, missing out on European competition. They had a strong start but faltered towards the end, collecting only eight points from their final 10 matches.
However, they concluded their season on a high with back-to-back victories against Copenhagen and Brondby.
In pre-season, Aarhus showed promise with two wins and a draw from four matches, including a notable 2-1 victory over Luton Town.
FC Midtjylland
Midtjylland clinched the Danish Superliga title in dramatic fashion last season. They finished one point ahead of Brondby, thanks to a crucial draw against Copenhagen and Brondby's loss to Aarhus.
Their pre-season form has been solid, with two wins and one draw out of four matches, though they did suffer a defeat to Swiss side Sturm Graz.
Team News
Aarhus
Aarhus will be missing several key players for the season opener. Tobias Anker, Janni Serra, Mikkel Duelund, and Kevin Yakob are all out due to injuries.
Tobias Molgaard remains sidelined since his severe injury against Odense in March.
On a positive note, Aarhus have bolstered their squad with the signings of teenage striker Richmond Gyamfi and Swedish goalkeeper Leopold Wahlstedt.
FC Midtjylland
Midtjylland will be without South Korean forward Gue-sung Cho and Brazilian striker Marrony due to injuries.
New signings Denil Castillo, Elias Olafsson, Ovie Ejeheri, and Adam Buksa are expected to strengthen the squad, with Buksa scoring one goal in two appearances for Poland in the recent European Championship.
Predicted Lineups
Aarhus
Possible Starting XI: Wahlstedt; Dalsgaard, Tingager, Abbew; Bejimo, Links, Poulsen, Madsen, Bech; Mortensen, Anderson.
FC Midtjylland
Possible Starting XI: Olafsson; Anderson, Juninho, Bech, Paulinho; Brynhildsen, Sorensen, Charles, Castillo; Buksa, Dju.
Match Prediction
Given the recent form and head-to-head statistics, FC Midtjylland are the favourites to win this clash.
They have won their last four encounters with Aarhus and possess the firepower needed to secure a victory.
Our Prediction: Aarhus 1-4 FC Midtjylland