Aarhus will be bidding to keep their hopes of securing an automatic spot in the second qualifying round of the 2023-24 Europa Conference League alive when they travel to Randers in the Danish Superliga on Tuesday night.
The visitors are currently fourth in the table, which is a position that would see them qualify for the European playoffs in Denmark's top flight, while Randers sit fifth in the Championship Round, level on points (40) with sixth-placed Brondby.
Match preview
Randers have never finished higher than third in the Danish Superliga, and they will not be able to match or improve on that position this term, with a total of 40 points from 30 matches leaving them fifth in the Championship Round in the Danish Superliga.
The Horses were fifth when the table was split in half, picking up 32 points from their opening 22 matches, but they have only managed to secure eight more points from eight matches in the section.
Rasmus Bertelsen's side have not been victorious in the league since recording a 4-0 victory over Brondby on April 23, losing each of their last four games during a disappointing run.
Randers will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 defeat at Nordsjaelland, and they now have two more matches against Aarhus and FC Copenhagen to finish their season.
Bertelsen's team cannot finish higher than fifth, with Aarhus seven points ahead of them, but they are level on points with sixth-placed Brondby, so the hosts can drop a position in the table.
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Aarhus, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 4-3 defeat at leaders Copenhagen, with the result leaving them in fourth position in the table on 47 points.
The loss to Copenhagen ended a four-game unbeaten run in the league, and GF are now preparing to face Rangers and Brondby in back-to-back matches on May 30 and June 4.
Uwe Rosler's side, as it stands, will finish in a European playoff spot, which would see them take on the winning team of the Qualification Round for a spot in the Europa Conference League second qualifying round.
Aarhus can still finish third, which would mean an automatic spot in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, as they are only three points behind third-placed Viborg.
Rosler's team will be bidding to win their last two matches of the regular season and see where that leaves them, but the points were shared in a 1-1 draw when Aarhus last faced Randers at the start of April.
Team News
Randers have no fresh injury concerns from their loss at Nordsjaelland last time out, and it would not be a surprise to see the same XI for this match despite the disappointing nature of the result.
Stephen Odey has contributed five goals for the Danish outfit this season and will again feature in the final third of the field, while 18-year-old Filip Bundgaard should also start.
Mikkel Pedersen and Jakob Ankersen are options for change in the forward areas, though, and the pair will be in the manager's thinking when it comes to possible starts.
Aarhus, meanwhile, may also be unchanged from the side that started the seven-goal thriller at Copenhagen.
Patrick Mortensen has been the team's main source of goals this season, finding the back of the net on 15 occasions, and he will continue in the final third of the field.
Mikael Anderson has four goals, meanwhile, and the 24-year-old should again operate in a wide area, with Sigurd Haugen likely to start on the bench for the visitors.
Randers possible starting lineup:
Carlgren; Kopplin, Andersson, Kudsk, Kaastrup; Klysner, Enggard, Johnsen, Nordli; Bundgaard, Odey
Aarhus possible starting lineup:
Hansen; Molgaard, Tingager, Bisseck; Beijmo, Yakob, Poulsen, Links; Bjur, Mortensen, Anderson
We say: Randers 1-2 Aarhus
Randers have lost each of their last four league matches, and it is difficult to back them against an Aarhus outfit that have a lot to play for at this stage of the campaign. We are expecting Tuesday's affair to be close but believe that the visitors will be able to secure a vital three points courtesy of a 2-1 success.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
