Sunday, July 20

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Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Copenhagen and Drita, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Fresh from making a winning start to their Danish Superliga title defence, Copenhagen kick off their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, hosting Drita in the first leg of their second-round qualifying battle.

While the Scandinavians bypassed the first preliminary phase, their Kosovo-based visitors had to make it past Luxembourg's Differdange 03 to earn a date with the Danish powerhouses.

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Match preview

A familiar face at the top level of European football, Copenhagen have aspirations of reaching the Champions League group stage for the third time in four seasons, having rubbed shoulders with the continental elite in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The 16-time and current Danish Superliga champions made it as far as the last 16 in the latter year - ultimately being slain 6-2 by then-defending champions Manchester City - before going out of the Conference League at the same stage to winners Chelsea last term.

Copenhagen missed out on Champions League football last season owing to a rare campaign without Superliga success - losing the title to FC Midtjylland - but Jacob Neestrup's men gleaned the sweetest slice of revenge by winning the 2024-25 crown by a single point over the defending champions.

The capital club began their quest for back-to-back domestic crowns on Friday, where they were given a scare by Viborg but ultimately emerged victorious by a 3-2 scoreline away from home; ex-Southampton winger Mohamed Elyounoussi was among the scorers.

Copenhagen's thrilling five-goal success stretched their unbeaten run across all tournaments to 10 matches, and not since the 2004-05 campaign have the Lions been eliminated from UCL qualifying as early as the second round.

The gulf in European pedigree between Copenhagen and Drita is evident, as Tuesday's visitors are yet to reach the competition proper of any major continental tournament, but it has not been for a lack of trying.

The Intellectuals have attempted and failed to qualify for the last four editions of the Conference League, but they came within 180 minutes of making the group stage last year, losing to Legia Warsaw in the final preliminary round.

Now, Drita are back in Champions League territory for the first time since 2020, and the team managed by Zekirija Ramadani started as they mean to go on with a 4-2 aggregate win over Differdange 03 in the first qualifying stage.

A nervy 1-0 home success preceded a 3-2 away win in the second leg, where Arb Manaj's brace inside the opening 17 minutes proved pivotal before Veton Tusha's insurance goal right at the death.

Drita's reward is a maiden competitive match against the 16-time champions of Denmark, and the Intellectuals will be under no illusions that they travel to the Parken Stadium as heavy underdogs.

Copenhagen form (all competitions): 

W

Drita Champions League form:

W W

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Team News

Replacing one juvenile attacker with another, Copenhagen lost the highly-rated Roony Bardghji to Barcelona earlier this summer, but former Borussia Dortmund starboy Youssoufa Moukoko has joined on a permanent deal.

The 20-year-old formed a two-man strikeforce with Elyounoussi against Viborg and could continue at the tip of a 4-4-2 shape, but veterans Viktor Claesson and Andreas Cornelius are also vying for attacking starts.

One-time Arsenal goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson is among the infirm for the hosts - the Iceland international is nursing a broken hand - while Oliver Hojer and Junnosuke Suzuki (both unspecified) are also out of contention.

As for the visitors, backup goalkeeper Eron Isufi is currently sidelined with a back injury, but the rest of Ramadani's squad is otherwise in good nick for the first leg.

Number nine Manaj - who celebrates his 27th birthday on Wednesday - spearheads a 4-2-3-1 system for the Kosovo giants, while Tusha's goal off the bench last time out should give the manager food for thought too.

Copenhagen possible starting lineup:

Kotarski; Huescas, Hatzidiakos, Pereira, Meling; Larsson, Delaney, Froholdt, Achouri; Moukoko, Elyounoussi

Drita possible starting lineup:

Maloku; Be. Krasniqi, Beytulai, Mesa, Ovouka; Broja, Dabiqaj; Zulfiu, Bl. Krasniqi, Tusha; Manaj

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We say: Copenhagen 3-0 Drita

 

Drita can try to batten down the hatches as best they can, but a Copenhagen side brimming with youthful exuberance and experience in attack will break through eventually.

Killing the tie off before the second leg on July 29 will be at the forefront of the hosts' minds, and Neestrup's men should put one foot firmly in the next round on Tuesday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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