This match brings Midtjylland's direct combinations and long throws up against Copenhagen's wide delivery and changing targets in the box. The home side can threaten without holding the ball for long. The visitors have several established supply routes, while Midtjylland are assembling a changed defensive group.
Billing, Etim and Iheanacho give Midtjylland a working escape from pressure. Copenhagen's answer is to keep those forward passes contested and get Beijmo and Král facing the home defence. Beijmo's cross to Cornelius decided the Brondby match, while Meling's supply to Dadason against Horsens shows another connection reaching its target.
Midtjylland are without Olafsson, Kristensen and Ndiaye, with Bak also unavailable. Diao and Bech return to the squad, and Bech restores the long-throw threat. Maxsø adds another defensive option. Tullberg has raised questions about sustaining three centre-backs through a full match, so this is a changed group rather than a simple shortage of defenders.
Copenhagen lose Madsen's midfield arrivals through illness, but retain their wide suppliers and central receivers. Cornelius and Suzuki have already changed the attack from the bench, and both are selected again.
I expect the opening to revolve around Copenhagen's pressure and Midtjylland's attempts to play through or beyond it. The later substitutions give Copenhagen a useful way to renew their delivery and change who attacks it. That's why I'm siding with FC Copenhagen, with a level finish returning the stake: their connected attack and options to refresh it give them the edge in this matchup.
