Danish outfit Midtjylland will welcome Greek side PAOK to the MCH Arena for the first leg of their playoff tie in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.

The hosts have won only one of their last five games in European competition, while the visitors have lost only one of their last nine European matches since August last year.

Match preview

Despite losing only one of their six games in Group F of the Europa League, Midtjylland narrowly missed out on qualification and have subsequently dropped into the Europa Conference League playoffs.

The Wolves finished in third, just one point behind Braga in second place, after a goalless draw against Ludogorets in their final group fixture sealed their fate.

Since their six-week winter break, Bo Henriksen's men have been competing in the Atlantic Cup, a mid-season tournament made up by teams from Scandinavia, Northern Europe and Central Europe. Midtjylland suffered defeat in their first match to eventual winners Zenit St Petersburg, before losing on penalties to Icelandic outfit Breidablik and then winning 3-1 against Norwegian side Valerenga in their most recent game last Friday.

Midtjylland, who currently sit two points clear at the Danish Superliga summit, head into the first leg of their Europa Conference League tie with PAOK unbeaten in their last four European games, and securing at least a draw on Thursday would see them record their longest unbeaten run in European competition since 2016.

The Wolves will be keen to gain an advantage on home soil in the first leg, as they aim to qualify for the last 16 in European competition for the first time in their history.

PAOK head to the MCH Arena on Thursday having already won on Danish soil in this season's competition, beating Copenhagen 2-1 in Group F, thanks to strikes from Sidcley and Andrija Zivkovic.

The White-Blacks did, however, lose at home to Copenhagen by the same scoreline just a few weeks later, and eventually finished four points behind the Lions in second place.

For the first time since reaching the Europa League round of 32 in the 2016-17 campaign, PAOK are competing in the knockout rounds in European competition.

Razvan Lucescu's men currently boast a 14-game unbeaten run, but their hopes of clinching their fourth Greek Super League title seem all but over, as they sit nine points behind leaders Olympiacos with only four games remaining.

PAOK claimed seven points from a possible nine available in their three group games away from home, and the Greek outfit will be confident of securing another positive result in midweek.

Team News

Midtjylland are expected to line up with a 3-5-2 formation, which should include centre-backs Henrik Dalsgaard, Erik Sviatchenko and Juninho.

Brazilian midfielder Evander, who was directly involved in three of Midtjylland's seven Europa League goals earlier this season, is set to start in the middle of the pitch with compatriot Charles and Raphael Onyedika.

Gustav Isaksen and Junior Brumado will be competing for a place up front alongside former Celta Vigo forward Pione Sisto.

As for PAOK, Giannis Michailidis will serve the third and final game of his three-match suspension, with Jose Angel Crespo set to join Enea Mihaj at centre-back as a result.

Experienced midfielder Jasmin Kurtic is expected to return to the first XI; the 33-year-old is PAOK's top goalscorer this season with 14 strikes to his name, but he is yet to find the net in Europe.

Arsenal academy graduate Chuba Akpom is set to lead the line in attack, with support provided on the flanks by Zivkovic and Thomas Murg.

FC Midtjylland possible starting lineup:
Olafsson; Dalsgaard, Sviatchenko, Juninho; Andersson, Charles, Onyedika, Evander, Paulinho; Isaksen, Sisto

PAOK possible starting lineup:
Paschalakis; Sastre, Mihaj, Crespo, Vieirnha; Augusto, Kurtic, Schwab; Murg, Akpom, A. Zivkovic

We say: FC Midtjylland 1-1 PAOK

Having already beaten Copenhagen in Denmark this season, PAOK will fancy their chances of claiming a positive result against Midtjylland on Thursday. However, with little to separate the two teams, a score draw could be on the cards at the MCH Arena.

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