Hungarian champions Ferencvaros are set to welcome Swedish champions Malmo to Groupama Arena on Thursday in their fifth Europa League game of the season.
The hosts beat Dynamo Kiev 4-0 on November 7 and are 14th in the Europa League table with six points, double the tally of the Malmo, who are 28th and lost 2-1 against Besiktas on November 6.
Match preview
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Though Ferencvaros were deserving winners against Dynamo Kiev considering they accumulated 64% possession, produced 27 shots and limited their opponents to no attempts on target, they were aided by the fact the Ukrainian side were reduced to 10 men in the 17th minute when the scoreline was 0-0.
Head coach Pascal Jansen's team are currently first in their domestic league with 27 points from 12 matches and have a game in hand on second-placed Puskas FC Academy, who have 26 points.
Jansen's side have scored seven goals and conceded four times in their European league stage outings this term, and they have netted on 12 occasions in their last five games.
The Greens are in excellent form given they are unbeaten in their past eight fixtures, winning five in that period, and have won or progressed from three of their five most recent games in the Europa League.
Ferencvaros have not been defeated in 18 of their last 19 matches at home, emerging victorious 12 times, though they have lost two, drawn two and won just one of their last five outings in the Europa League at Groupama Arena.
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Meanwhile, Malmo will perhaps be perplexed by their defeat against Besiktas considering they created five big chances and over 2.3 xG, more than double the Turkish side's figure of 0.91 xG.
The visitors won the 2024 iteration of the Allsvenskan, ending their domestic campaign with 65 points after 30 matchweeks, 11 more than second-placed Hammarby.
Boss Henrik Rydstrom's team only collected an additional point compared to their 2023 title win, but they did score 67 goals and concede just 25 times, an improvement of five and two respectively.
The Blue Ones come into the clash in poor form having drawn three, lost two and won two of their seven most recent games, and they have alarmingly lost nine of their last 10 Europa League matches.
Malmo have also been held to a stalemate five times and been defeated two times in their past eight fixtures on the road and lost four of their last five away games in Thursday's competition.
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Team News
![Lasse Berg Johnsen of Malmo FF celebrates during the UEFA Champions League football match between Malmo FF and Klaksvik on July 23, 2024 [on July 28, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/30/lasse-berg-johnsen.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Lasse Berg Johnsen of Malmo FF celebrates during the UEFA Champions League football match between Malmo FF and Klaksvik on July 23, 2024 [on July 28, 2024]")
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Ferencvaros have no injury concerns ahead of their match against Malmo, and could use a similar starting XI to the side that beat Dynamo Kiev, so expect goalkeeper Denes Dibusz to be shielded by centre-backs Ibrahim Cisse and Stefan Gartenmann.
Philippe Rommens and Mohammad Abu Fani are candidates to start in a double pivot behind a front four consisting of Kady Borges, Kristoffer Zachariassen, Adama Malouda Traore and Barnabas Varga.
The visitors have not been so fortunate with injuries, and will be without defenders Anton Tinnerholm, Jens Stryger Larsen, Niklas Moisander and Pontus Jansson, as well as goalkeeper Johan Dahlin.
Given the number of defensive absentees, it is plausible that Malmo will field a back four featuring Zakaria Loukili, Colin Rosler, Nils Zatterstrom and Busanello.
Wingers Sead Haksabanovic and Stefano Holmquist Vecchia have also been ruled out, and Rydstrom may deploy a front line of Anders Christiansen, Erik Botheim, Hugo Bolin and Isaac Kiese Thelin.
Ferencvaros possible starting lineup:
Dibusz; Makreckis, Cisse, Gartenmann, Ramirez; Rommens, Abu Fani; Borges, Zachariassen, Traore; Varga
Malmo possible starting lineup:
Friedrich; Loukili, Rosler, Zatterstrom, Busanello; Johnsen, Pena; Christiansen, Botheim, Bolin; Thelin
We say: Ferencvaros 2-1 Malmo
Given the number of players that are set to miss out for Malmo on Thursday, it is difficult to see how they overcome their hosts.
Additionally, the visitors have been poor away from home for some time and Ferencvaros should come into the clash as favourites.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
