Europa League
2025-08-21 - Midtjylland vs KuPS
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Europa League Play Off Round First Leg
Thursday 21st August 2025 - Kick Off 5:30pm
Preview
Comfortable progress was made past Fredrikstad in the Third Qualifying Round and Midtjylland have to be considered strong favourites to reach the Europa League Group Stage. They have already beaten Hibernian in the Second Qualifying Round and an experienced European club will be expecting themselves to match the run from last season when Midtjylland reached the Knock Out Play Off Round in this competition.
Three wins in a row have been achieved in European competition and Midtjylland were able to beat Fredrikstad by two goal margins in each Leg in the previous Round. It will feel important to have a healthy lead to take into the Second Leg of this Play Off Round tie, but Midtjylland have to make sure they have a balance to the approach to offer little encouragement to KuPS.
The Finnish Champions are guaranteed to be playing in the Group Stage of a UEFA competition for the first time- KuPS were beaten in the Second Qualifying Round of the Champions League by Kairat Almaty, despite winning the First Leg 2-0 at home, but they have recovered to beat RFS in the Europa League and this is the best European run since 2021/22.
In that season, KuPS were beaten in the Play Off Round of the Conference League by Union Berlin, while they have previously lost at this stage of the Europa League before a third UEFA competition was in place. The win at RFS in the previous Round will have given KuPS some belief after previously losing 4 of 6 away European games played, but this is a considerable challenge for them to face.
Momentum is with KuPS who have won 5 games in a row in all competitions since being thumped 3-0 at Kairat Almaty and being dumped out of the Champions League. The side had failed to win any of 4 away games, but KuPS will travel to Denmark having won consecutive fixtures on their travels for the first time since May and Midtjylland cannot underestimate the visiting team.
Midtjylland are unbeaten in 9 games in all competitions to open the new season and this is a team that has begun to string a few wins together. 3 of the last 4 fixtures played have ended in a victory, while Midtjylland have scored at least twice in 3 straight home games in all competitions and that has led to a couple of wins.
This is the first time these two clubs are meeting in a competitive fixture.
Prediction
A place in the Europa League Group Stage will lead to some big fixtures and so there is plenty of motivation for the two teams ahead of this 'winnable' Play Off Round tie.
The edge has to be with Midtjylland due to the experience they have had in recent seasons playing at a higher level compared with KuPS.
All credit has to be given to the Finnish Champions for being in a position to play in the Group Stage of any of the UEFA competitions for the first time, but they were well beaten by Kairat Almaty in the away Leg of the Champions League Second Qualifying Round. Beating RFS will have given the team confidence, but this is a significant test for KuPS and the main ambition has to be avoiding a defeat that effectively ends the tie before the return Leg.
However, they are facing a host that have scored a lot of goals in recent home games and one that is building some momentum and Midtjylland might be able to take at least a two goal lead to Finland next week.
The Pick :
Midtjylland 2-0 KuPS
