Champions League Preliminaries 2025/2026: Copenhagen-Malmoe, likely lineups

The new UEFA Champions League season will kick off on September 16 and will end after more than eight months, on May 30, 2026. Anticipation is already high for the Aug. 28 draw, which will set the official schedule, while some teams have yet to earn access to the group stage.

Among them are Copenhagen and Malmoe, set to take on each other on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. in a decisive playoff match. This is the return leg of a confrontation that is still in the balance: the first leg ended 0-0, postponing any verdict to the challenge at the Parken.

This time, however, there will be no second chances: only one of the Danes and Swedes will advance to the last leg to enter Europe’s top competition; the other will have to fall back to the Europa League.

Probable lineups:

Copenhagen (4-2-3-1): Kotarski; Huescas, Gabriel Pereira, Hatzidiakos, Marcos Lopez; Delaney, Lerager; Larsson, Elyounoussi, Achouri; Cornelius. All: Neestrup.

Malmoe (3-4-2-1): Olsen; Rosler, Jansson, Đurić; Larsen, Berg Johnsen, Rosengren, Busanello; Berg, Bolin; Taha Ali. All: Rydström.

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