Preview: Vejle vs Randers - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to enjoy a campaign free of relegation worries, Vejle welcome Randers to Vejle Stadion on the first weekend of the 2025-26 Danish Superliga season on Sunday afternoon.

De Rode avoided a bottom-two finish by the skin of their teeth last time out, whereas Kronjyderne saw the continental doors slammed shut on them at the final hurdle once again.

Match preview

After lifting the second-tier title in Danish football in 2023, Vejle have endured back-to-back campaigns of relegation fights in the Superliga, escaping a bottom-two finish by four points and a single point in 2023-24 and 2024-25 respectively.

Da Rode required a serious upturn in form in order to avoid relegation in late April and May, losing just one of their last five matches and collecting 10 points from that sequence to place 10th overall, a single point and place above second-tier bound Lyngby.

Sunday's hosts will need to drastically improve their home form if they wish to skip another scrap for survival this time around, with Vejle earning just 14 points across 16 Superliga contests at Vejle Stadion in 2024-25 - only AaB managed fewer on their own patch.

Ivan Prelec's ranks have lost a number of its key members over the course of the off-season as all three of last campaign's leading goalscorers are preparing for futures elsewhere, with German Onugkha (13), Dimitrios Emmanouilidis (5) and Musa Juwara (4) departing.

As a result, Da Rode have been forced to be aggressive in the summer transfer market as they look to replace their lost firepower, recruiting Wahid Faghir and Jonathan Amon, with the former netting eight goals in Germany's third tier last season.

Finishing seventh and fourth during the last two seasons, Randers have concluded both of their most recent campaigns with a playoff match for Conference League football, with Sunday afternoon's visitors coming out on the losing side once again in June.

Goals from Pelle Mattsson, Callum McCowatt and Jeppe Andersen secured a 3-1 victory for Silkeborg at Ceres Park in Risskov, meaning that SIF will be pitting their wits against KA Akureyri of Iceland in the second round of Conference League qualifying on Wednesday.

Ending the 2024-25 campaign with three straight defeats in the Superliga, Kronjyderne required a positive pre-season, but their two warm-up matches have offered contrasting fortunes, as a 2-0 win over Viborg was followed by a defeat at the hands of second-tier Hobro on July 8.

Whereas Sunday's hosts have been purged of their top attacking talent over the summer, Randers are still able to call upon the services of talisman Simen Bolkan Nordli, who provided a sensational 26 goal contributions across 31 top-tier appearances last season.

Kronjyderne have an exceptional record in matches against Vejle over the past five years, with Rasmus Bertelsen's men currently enjoying a four-game winning run over Da Rode, who have not tasted victory in this fixture during their last 12 attempts.

Vejle friendly form:

L D W

Randers friendly form:

W L

Team News

Joining from Norwegian Eliteserien side Sarpsborg 08 earlier this month, Mike Vestergard could make his competitive debut for Vejle this weekend.

Da Rode have a number of other credible options in the engine room, including Japanese playmaker Masaki Murata, who failed to make a start in the Superliga last term.

Following the departure of three key stars in attack, Vejle centre-back Stefan Velkov is arguably one of the biggest threats for the hosts.

Randers have raided the ranks of recently-relegated Lyngby over the off-season, bringing both Lucas Lissens and Jannich Storch to Cepheus Park.

Keeping six clean sheets last season, Australian goalkeeper Paul Izzo is set to be the first-choice option once again, entering his second term with Kronjyderne.

Vejle possible starting lineup:

Jakobsen; Hujber, Velkov, Van Bruggen, Sonderskov; Gammelgaard, Gundelund, Hetemi, Murata; Jacobsen, Faghir

Randers possible starting lineup:

Izzo; Olsen, Hoegh, Dammers, Dyhr; Greve, Romer, Bjorkengren, Nordli; Mahmoud, Toure

We say: Vejle 1-2 Randers

Losing a large number of their star players from last season, we are expecting a slow start from Vejle in the 2025-26 Superliga.

As a result, Randers - who have kept the core of their team together - should be capable of collecting maximum points on the opening weekend.

Written by
Carter White

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