The 2024-25 Danish Superliga season gets underway this weekend and Silkeborg will be looking to secure an opening-week victory when they take on SonderjyskE at JYSK Park on Sunday.
Silkeborg enjoyed an impressive 2023-24 league campaign where they managed a top-half finish, while the visitors secured the title in the Danish 1st Division to return to the top flight.
Match preview
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Silkeborg will enter the new season brimming with confidence following what turned out to be a memorable 2023-24 season, which included not only a top-half finish but also a piece of silverware.
The White Wolves ended last campaign in sixth place with 36 points and went all the way in the DBU Cup, securing a 1-0 victory over AGF in the final, to earn their first trophy in over two decades.
Not only did that win secure a rare cup trophy for the side, but it also earned them a spot in Europa League qualification where they will face Norwegian side Molde in the first of two matches next week.
Indeed, the major task for Kent Nielsen now is to follow up on that performance by reaching the Championship round again, although it will not be easy with some of his star players from last season now departed, such as midfielder Stefan Teitur Thordarson.
Nevertheless, the hosts will be confident of getting off to a winning start to the campaign, having faced this opponent in a preseason friendly earlier this month which they won 2-1 on the road.
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Meanwhile, SonderjyskE had to spend two seasons in the first division after missing promotion at the first time of asking in the 2022-23 campaign by just two points.
However, last season they left nothing to chance as they led the way for the majority of the campaign and ended three points ahead of runners-up AaB and a massive 19 points ahead of Kolding in third place.
Additionally, Thomas Norgaard's side also stood out above the rest statistically by completing the season as the team with the highest number of goals scored and the fewest goals conceded.
Indeed, if they can replicate that sort of form in the Superliga, they could prove to be a difficult team to defeat, although that is easier said than done for a club with one of the smallest budgets in the division.
Team News
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For the hosts, Alexander Busch is likely to miss the first few games of the season due to injury, while Jens Martin Gammelby may also be unable to compete as he is flagged as a doubt.
Anders Klynge, Callum McCowatt and Younes Bakiz all picked up knocks during Silkeborg's preseason campaign and will have to pass late fitness tests to feature in this season-opener.
Sonderjyske bid farewell to three players who were part of the side that suffered the drop back in 2021-22, with Emil Berggreen, Jonas Thorsen and Christoffer Remmer all being released this summer.
However, the club have brought in the likes of highly-rated youngster Alexander Lyng, as well as Mohamed Cherif Haidara and Jakob Busk, who is expected to challenge Nicolai Flo for the number-one jersey this season.
Silkeborg possible starting lineup:
Larsen; Sonne, Rodin, Ganchas, Poulsen; Brink, Mattsson, Larsen; Adamsen, Klynge; Lind
SonderjyskE possible starting lineup:
Busk; Oggesen, Soulas, Gretarsson, Wilkins; Emini, Sommer, Nikolov; Klysner, Ingasson, Hyseni
We say: Silkeborg 2-0 SonderjyskE
While Sonderjyske enjoyed a very impressive season in the first division last season, they will know better than most that stepping up to the top fight and being competitive from the off is not an easy task.
Silkeborg will be judged this season on their ability to follow up on their positive performance last term, and they will likely see this as the best fixture they could have hoped for to get the new league campaign underway.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
