On Thursday, HJK will play in Denmark for a place in the group stage of the Europa League. Against Silkeborg, the national team’s top player Miro Tenho or striker Bojan Radulovic will not be seen.
Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi starts from a 1–0 lead to decide a place in the group stage of the Europa League, when they face Danish league leader Silkeborg IF. The game starts on Thursday at 19:30 Finnish time.
Getting to the group stage would bring more than three and a half million euros in prize money to the club’s coffers, and in addition, the group of potential opponents includes big names from the football world.
If Cristiano Ronaldo won’t find a new club by the beginning of September, we might see Manchester United’s Portuguese star in Töölö in the group stage. Of course, this would require a “popular” draw in Friday’s group draw.
Through their league ranking, they have also secured their place in the group stage Jose Mourinho’s piloted by AS Roma, who shot to the top of the Premier League, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Sakan starred Arsenal or By Maurizio Sarri Lazio. The top clubs are in the first basket of the draw, which means the Club can only face one of them.
Denmark’s FC Copenhagen is participating in the group stage of the Champions League
Denmark’s FC Midtjylland and Norway’s Bodö/Glimt were relegated from the Champions League group stage to the Europa League
HJK and Silkeborg eliminated each other for a place in the Europa League
Sweden’s Malmö FF leads Turkey’s Sivaspor 3-1 after the first leg of the Europa League qualifiers
In any case, HJK will play the European games next winter, as the team has secured its place in the European Conference League.
Halme to open in Denmark?
Although the 1–0 win from the first leg in Helsinki gives a good setup, the Klubi camp knows that the series is anything but over.
A week ago, HJK was able to play on their home field for more than 20 minutes with superiority and by David Browne a spectacular long shot guaranteed the victory.
– I believe that the picture of the game is quite similar to that in Helsinki. We have to defend more than attack and we have to find the moments when we can break the opponent’s rhythm and press from higher up, head coach Toni Koskela tells.
– The opponent is the leading team in the Danish league, and from there two clubs qualify for the Champions League. It says that the Danes usually do quite well in Europe.
HJK has to play without a national team topper Miro Tenhoa, who is suspended. At the end of the week, the club defeated FC Haka 3–0, and the match saw the signing of the contract in July Aapo Halme in the back lines of the people of Helsinki. Halme crowned his return to the Veikkausliiga by scoring a goal at the end of the opening half of the match.
Koskela did not want to reveal during the match whether Halme will continue in defense. Among the players suitable for central defense in Denmark, there are also Halme Jukka Raitala, Matti Peltola, Arttu Hoskonen and Joona Toivio. Toivio has played his previous match around Midsummer.
In addition to Tenho, a striker Bojan Radulovic is suspended.