Euro QR4 Draw: Legia Warsaw/Atrimitos v FC Midtjylland/Rangers

[Tannochsidebear 2,429]

Looking at our opponents and potential opponents last seasons European results;

 

The Danes (I’m not attempting to spell that every time!) entered the same competition in QR3 last year and comfortably saw off Welsh side New Saints 2-0 in Wales and 3-1 at home for a 5-1 aggregate victory. In QR4 they played Malmo and drew 2-2 in Sweden before losing the home tie 2-0 to lose out on group stage action. This will be their first European action this season.

 

Legia started 18/19 in the Champions League qualifiers in QR1against Cork, winning 1-0 away and 3-0 at home, then going on to play Slovakian side Spartak Trnava, losing the home leg 2-0, winning the away leg 1-0 to go out 2-1 on aggregate and drop down into the Europa where they played Dudelange from Luxembourg, losing the home leg 2-1and drawing the away leg 2-2 to go out 4-3 on aggregate. Worth noting they got red cards in both legs of that tie. This season they started in QR1 beating Europa of Gibraltar 3-0 at home after a 0-0 first leg on the rock. In R2 they beat KuPS 1-0 at home and drew 0-0 away.

 

Atrimitos played QR3 of Europa League last year where they lost to Dinimo Brest of Belarus 4-3 in the away leg, and drew 1-1 at home to be eliminated at the first time of asking, picking up a red card as well along the way. This season they started in R2, beating Slovak side Streda 2-1 away and 3-2 at home.

[Uilleam 5,966]

Are people convinced that the Danes are a gimme? 

After Progres and Kilmarnock?

[Tannochsidebear 2,429]

Absolutely not, I would put it as 50/50. We are the unseeded side so are seeded to lose but our resources dwarf that of the Danes so on that basis we should be good enough.

 

one thing for sure, we need to up our level significantly.

[compo 7,231]

Another hard game will need to up our performance to  get a result .

[ian1964 10,761]

Peter Lovenkrands warns Rangers not to underestimate Midtjylland

PETER LOVENKRANDS has warned Rangers to under-estimate Europa League rivals Midtjylland at their peril.

The Dane believes his fellow countrymen represent the stiffest qualifying challenge Steven Gerrard’s men have faced in Europe over the past two seasons.

Rangers travel to Denmark on Thursday for the first leg of their vital Europa League clash.

Gers academy coach Lovenkrands insists Midtjylland are a significant step up from Progres Neiderkorn, St Josephs, Ufa, Maribor, Osijek and Shkupi.

He said: “I’d say this is their biggest test. A lot of people are probably looking at it and saying, ‘Ah, but it’s only a Danish team’. But this is a team that’s not just been finishing at the top once or twice, it has been consistently doing so in the Danish league for the last five to six years.

“Two years ago they won the title. It’s a really good team and a good squad. They always build strongly.

“They lost their manager last year but the assistant coach took over and it’s the same philosophy going through the club that has been for a long time. They are also further forward in their season.

“They have played four league games and won all of them. They’ve started well as you expect them to do anyway.

“They have played a few games while Rangers have just started, so they will be more used to playing together. It’s definitely going to be tough.”

Midtjylland’s location has helped them recruit some of the best players in Denmark and made them a European club on the rise.

The Danes have also benefitted enormously from the Right to Dream Academy — an initiative where talented footballers from West Africa are offered scholarships. Lovenkrands said: “They are a really strong side. Midtjylland and Copenhagen have won the title back and forth between them in recent years.

“Their location in Denmark helps them too. Denmark is three islands and they are situated on the big island.

“They are taking all the talent from that area while FC Copenhagen and Brondby take talent from other areas.

“They are a really strong club, who are building themselves up to being a big, big club. I do hope and think Rangers are going to go through but it’s not going to be easy. They have also got the African connection. They get a lot of players coming in through the Right To Dream initiative. It’s a club that’s on the rise.”

Lovenkrands was given the inside track on Midtjylland through a chance meeting with a former Denmark team-mate earlier this summer.

He said: “One of my close pals, Brian Priske, is actually their assistant coach. I played with him for the national team and also the Under-21s.

“I’ve known him for years and I met him when I was over in Italy at the Under-21 European Championship while I was doing my pro-licence.

“We had a good chat but we didn’t know this was going to happen. I know they’ve got good players, fast wingers. They’ve got a goalkeeper who likes to play out but I think that’s something Rangers could maybe exploit.

“They are not a team known for sitting back. Because they and Copenhagen have dominated the Danish league for years they want to go and play.

“They normally dominate games so I will be surprised if they come here and sit back. I think they will go for it.

“I have not spoken to the gaffer about them but I have spoken to a couple of the analyst boys. They have asked a couple of questions.

“They know most of the stuff anyway. They have so many people looking at it. I will be surprised if I can tell them something they do not know.”

While Lovenkrands is predicting a tough test for Rangers, he reckons they will head into the third round qualifier in good shape, both mentally and physically, after the last-gasp victory at Kilmarnock on Sunday.

He said: “It was an important win. These were the type of games last season that Rangers would end up drawing and not getting the win.

“But this time it went the team’s way and it was fantastic to see. The team pushed all the way to the end and they deserved it. Even if Connor Goldson hadn’t scored with his header I think the referee would have given a penalty because both centre-halves were wrestling.

“The manager will definitely be pleased. These games cost Rangers last season and it was important to get off to a winning start, especially after Celtic had won the day before.

“It also lets other clubs know Rangers are capable of scoring last-minute winners.

“Even if it finished 1-1 it was a tough game at a tough venue. But I think psychologically it was a very good result. It gives the team a timely boost for the Midjtylland match.”

PETER LOVENKRANDS was promoting a new Rangers Lotto campaign for the Rangers Youth Development Company. For full details on RYDC’s growing portfolio of products, visit www.rydc.co.uk or call 0141 427 4914.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4569548/rangers-peter-lovenkrands-underestimate-midtjylland/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1565041401

[ian1964 10,761]

Some info posted on FF for travelling Rangers fans:

 

I have made a couple of threads and commented on a few too so will keep all info on this one if that's ok with Admin.
I live 15 minutes from the stadium.

Money; 100DKK is around 12.50GBP No need to have cash with you, just use your credit card everywhere.

Refreshments; I have been trying to contact the big pubs to get a good deal on Alcohol because its very expensive here.

SO GREAT NEWS
Murphys pub, address is Østergade 20, Herning. Opens at around noon
The owner is kindly offered to reduce pints of Carlsberg to 35DKK
So I suggest this could be a good base in the afternoonand he has also promised to play "Gers related" music so this is a great offer by the owner.

The Old Irish Pub Opens 17.00 until 03.30
Amazing offer by the owner .... Pints for 20DKK, 10 shots for 100DKK and 2 cocktails for the price of 1

Fox and Hounds is the other big pub but refuse to offer any deal and pints are 50/60DKK I personally will be staying away from there
These two pubs are in Østergade, 3 miles from the stadium.

Stadium and Tickets; The match is not sold out. The address is Kaj Zartows Vej 5, Herning. Nice little stadium. There is normally netting in front of the away section. You can buy lager/beer in the stadium for 40DKK. Food is usually hot dogs but there may be other things too. The stadium is know as the Wolfs Den because it is supposed to be a bit of a fortress, lets see.

TRANSPORT: There is a bus that leaves town and drops of at the stadium, I will post details here later.

Hope everyone enjoys their trip

 

https://www.followfollow.com/forum/threads/fcm-herning-thursday-all-info-here.84272/

[DMAA 3,658]

13 hours ago, Tannochsidebear said:

Looking at our opponents and potential opponents last seasons European results;

 

The Danes (I’m not attempting to spell that every time!) entered the same competition in QR3 last year and comfortably saw off Welsh side New Saints 2-0 in Wales and 3-1 at home for a 5-1 aggregate victory. In QR4 they played Malmo and drew 2-2 in Sweden before losing the home tie 2-0 to lose out on group stage action. This will be their first European action this season.

 

Legia started 18/19 in the Champions League qualifiers in QR1against Cork, winning 1-0 away and 3-0 at home, then going on to play Slovakian side Spartak Trnava, losing the home leg 2-0, winning the away leg 1-0 to go out 2-1 on aggregate and drop down into the Europa where they played Dudelange from Luxembourg, losing the home leg 2-1and drawing the away leg 2-2 to go out 4-3 on aggregate. Worth noting they got red cards in both legs of that tie. This season they started in QR1 beating Europa of Gibraltar 3-0 at home after a 0-0 first leg on the rock. In R2 they beat KuPS 1-0 at home and drew 0-0 away.

 

Atrimitos played QR3 of Europa League last year where they lost to Dinimo Brest of Belarus 4-3 in the away leg, and drew 1-1 at home to be eliminated at the first time of asking, picking up a red card as well along the way. This season they started in R2, beating Slovak side Streda 2-1 away and 3-2 at home.

I expected better results from Legia tbh. This is a very good draw compared to other possibilities.

 

Unfortunately Celtic avoided Young Boys and will be strong favourites to see if Slavia Prague and bag another huge cash windfall. The task of overtaking them gets harder every time they make the groups so here’s hoping for a another screw up from them. 

[Tannochsidebear 2,429]

I dont think Slavia are any worse than Athens, and that was a better bheast side with a far better manager, so im still hopeful of another balls up from them. The money on offer from CL group stages is obscene and will make our attempt to get back to parity with them a whole lot harder.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I think it would be an epic result beating the Danes. They will be better than any team in Scotland bar us and celtc by miles. 

 

Not at all sure we will go through. 

 

Tannochside is right about celtc and the CL as well. While I think our best shot at the league is us out of europe and them in the CL the financial Disparity would cripple us. 

[DMAA 3,658]

1 hour ago, Tannochsidebear said:

I dont think Slavia are any worse than Athens, and that was a better bheast side with a far better manager

Possibly not. AEK were poor but difficult to break down. But that was a balls up from them as you say and you can't count on those every year. And Lennon actually had a better record in Europe, he got to the last 16. Rodgers flopped in Europe. As much as we want to concentrate on ourselves if they qualify for the groups it's a huge blow.