Midtjylland will not show any weakness
The 2nd round in the qualifying phase for the UEFA Champions League is on the agenda. The first legs will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a week later it will be decided who will advance to the next round and who will not.
In the run-up to the match between Midtjylland and AEK Larnaca, the betting odds show the hosts from Denmark as favourites. This is not too surprising, as individually the Danes have advantages on their side.
However, the guests also have quality in their squad and have played in European competitions from time to time in recent years. So it’s not a foregone conclusion for the favourites. The match kicks off on Tuesday at 7.45 p.m.
Midtjylland – Statistics & current form
The new season started in Denmark at the weekend. Midtjylland had extremely high expectations and were considered one of the top favourites for the title with coach Bo Henriksen, but the first game was disappointing. Midtjylland only drew 1-1 at home against Randers, although the team was superior on the field. This setback must now be compensated for.
The Danes have to be awake from the start to avoid any problems against AEK Larnaca. A home win is a must and corresponds to the home side’s self-image. However, the development in recent months shows that a draw like the one against Randers is more likely to be a slip-up. Midtjylland have only lost one of their last 15 games.
Moreover, problems at the start of the season are not uncommon, especially after a preparation phase in which a lot was tried out. The important thing now is to get into a rhythm quickly and, above all, to build on last season’s very good defence. That’s where the hosts had the second-best record in Denmark. Therefore, before the game Midtjylland against AEK Larnaca, our forecast is also that not both teams will score.
Midtjylland: A must-win at home as a basis
It is impressive that Midtjylland have not only hardly lost a game recently, but have also won eleven of their last 15 games. The Danes’ offence was not even the showpiece in the preseason, 37 goals in the 22 games in the league regular season were not impressive, but they kept the goals conceded at exactly 1.0 per game, which is a good record.
Midtjylland also have a very good record at home, winning more games on average than away from home. This is probably one of the reasons why the odds of the best bookmakers before the match between Midtjylland and AEK Larnaca point to a clear favourite role for the Danes. But that alone does not guarantee a win, the hosts have to have a good day and bring their quality on the field.
At the start of the new season, the Danes also played with a three-man defence, which suits the team well. However, there is still a need for change in the squad, which is currently too broad with 35 players. Among the best-known names are ex-Bundesliga goalkeeper Lössl, Evander in midfield and attacker Dreyer, who are known beyond Denmark and are good footballers.
Projected line-up of Midtjylland:
Lössl – Höegh, Sviatchenko, Thychosen – Andersson, Onyedika, Evander, Paulinho – Dreyer, Sisto, Kaba
Last matches played by Midtjylland:
Superleague
15/07/2022 – FC Midtjylland 1 – 1 Randers FC
Friendly club matches
10/07/2022 – KAA Gent 2 – 1 FC Midtjylland
30/06/2022 – FC Midtjylland 2 – 1 Aalborg BK
25/06/2022 – FC Midtjylland 3 – 2 Odense BK
Danish Cup
26/05/2022 – Odense BK (3)0 – 0(4) FC Midtjylland
AEK Larnaca – Statistics & current form
AEK Larnaca is a team from Cyprus that has consistently made it to the European stage in recent years. You won’t find big stars in the league in Cyprus, many players use this league to wind down their careers, but this sometimes means that a decent level prevails, especially technically.
This team has yet to play a game in the 2022/23 season. The only impressions that prevail are those from the preparation and that cannot be compared with a competitive match. So it is definitely a cold start for the Cypriots, which is likely to be associated with a lot of uncertainty. The last impressions from the pre-season are also mixed.
AEK Larnaca won two of their last six matches, two ended in draws and two were lost. In the cup, they lost in the semi-finals in the pre-season, the team finished the league in a good second place, only Apollon Limassol had to admit defeat.
Larnaca want to get the best possible result
When looking at the pre-season, it is noticeable that the guests from Cyprus did not get good results away from home. By 0.5 points per game, their record was weaker than at home. This could be a big problem against an opponent who already has individual advantages.
For the guests, it is therefore a matter of avoiding damage and getting the best possible result. Even a 0:0 would be a success, because they would have the outcome of the duel in their own hands in the second leg at home. A defensive approach is therefore likely to be the result. Therefore, before the game Midtjylland vs. AEK Larnaca, our value tip is that less than 2.5 goals will be scored.
Predicted line-up of AEK Larnaca:
Piric – Rosales, Milivevic, Tomovic, Garcia – Mamas, Sanjurjo, Espinosa, Gyurcso, Faray – Trickovski
Last matches played by AEK Larnaca:
Friendly club matches
02/07/2022 – Rapid Vienna 2 – 3 AEK Larnaca
1st League Championship Grp.
22/05/2022 – Apollon Limassol 0 – 1 AEK Larnaca
14/05/2022 – AEK Larnaca 2 – 0 Pafos FC
08/05/2022 – AEK Larnaca 1 – 1 Aris Limassol
Cup
04/05/2022 – Ethnikos Achnas 3 – 1 AEK Larnaca
Midtjylland – AEK Larnaca Direct comparison / H2H record
This match in the qualifying phase for the UEFA Champions League is the first direct encounter between the two teams. Therefore, no data on the direct comparison is yet available
Midtjylland – AEK Larnaca Tip
Midtjylland are favourites going into this game and, taking into account last season, have a much better run of form than the visitors from Cyprus, who also have much weaker results away than at home. That too can become a factor.
It should be very important for Midtjylland to be defensively compact. Offensively, a goal should always be possible. Due to the omens, our tip before the game Midtjylland vs. AEK Larnaca is that in this game not both teams will score.
