Eleven-time Danish champions Brondby will continue their pursuit of Danish Superliga leaders FC Midtjylland on Monday evening, when they travel to sixth-placed Silkeborg.
The visitors are currently second in the Championship round, two points behind leaders Midtjylland, while Silkeborg sit sixth, but they have already qualified for next season's Europa League first qualifying round.
Match preview
Silkeborg won the 2023-24 Danish Cup earlier this month, beating Aarhus 1-0 in the final, which has seen them secure a spot in the 2024-25 Europa League first qualifying round.
SIF are currently sixth in the Championship round of the Danish Superliga, boasting 35 points from their 30 matches courtesy of a record of 10 wins, five draws and 15 defeats.
Kent Nielsen's side are three points behind fifth-placed Aarhus, and they cannot finish any higher than fifth, so there is not anything substantial for them to play for in the latter stages of the league season.
Silkeborg will enter the match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Aarhus, and they have triumphed in three of their last five games in all competitions.
SIF drew 1-1 with Brondby when the two teams locked horns last month, but they have lost their last three regular-season fixtures with the 11-time Danish champions.
Brondby will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Nordsjaelland, with Yuito Suzuki netting the only goal of the contest in the first period to secure an important three points.
Jesper Sorensen's side are second in the Championship round of the Danish Superliga, picking up 59 points from their 30 matches courtesy of a record of 17 wins, eight draws and five defeats.
Brondby are only two points behind the leaders Midtjylland, but they are also just one point ahead of third-placed Copenhagen, so the title race is set to go to the wire.
As it stands, the Danish giants, who finished fifth in the table last season, will secure qualification for the Conference League second qualifying round.
However, winning the title would see them qualify for the Champions League second qualifying round, allowing them to fight for the chance to play in the group stage of the European Cup for the first time since 1998-99, when they were famously in the same group as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
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Team News
Silkeborg will definitely be missing two players for Monday's contest, with Kasper Kusk and Anders Klynge unavailable for selection against Brondby.
Meanwhile, Fredrik Carlsen and Alexander Busch will need to undergo late fitness tests.
Stefan Teitur Thordarson has scored 11 times from midfield this season, and the 25-year-old will again be in the XI, while there will be another start for Alexander Lind at centre-forward, with the youngster bidding to add to the 10 goals that he has scored in all competitions this term.
As for Brondby, Mathias Greve, Sean Klaiber and Frederik Alves will miss the match through injury, while Kevin Tshiembe is unavailable for selection due to a suspension.
Head coach Sorensen could decide to select the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle against Nordsjaelland last time out, with Suzuki operating off the right.
Nicolai Vallys is the team's leading goalscorer this season with 12, and he will also feature in the final third of the field for the title-chasing visitors on Monday night.
Silkeborg possible starting lineup:
Larsen; Sonne, Rodin, Rieper, Poulsen; Boesen, Brink, Thordason; Adamsen, Lind, McCowatt
Brondby possible starting lineup:
Pentz; Vanlerberghe, Lauritsen, Rasmussen; Sebulonsen, Radosevic, Wass, Divkovic; Suzuki, Bundgaard, Vallys
We say: Silkeborg 1-2 Brondby
This has the potential to be a tricky match for Brondby, and we are not expecting the visitors to have it all their own way on Monday night. However, the title hopefuls have enough quality and experience to secure a vital three points in this contest.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
