Celtic v Malmö background
Monday, August 10, 2015
Article summary
Celtic were denied a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage last term, but will attempt to make up for lost time as they welcome Malmö in this season's play-offs.
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Article body
Celtic will look to frustrate Malmö coach Åge Hareide as he bids to make amends for a 2012/13 UEFA Champions League play-off defeat by the Hoops during his spell as Helsingborg boss.
Previous meetings
• The clubs are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition.
Form guide
• Celtic have yet to concede in four games against Swedish teams, from which they have the record W3 D1 L0. They have won both previous home matches against Swedish opposition, including beating Helsingborg 2-0 in Glasgow in this competition's 2012/13 play-offs. Current Malmö coach Hareide was Helsingborg's trainer at the time, with Malmö striker Nikola Djurdić also featuring for Helsingborg in both legs.
• Malmö are also unbeaten in four UEFA fixtures against Scottish sides. They won both of their away games in Scotland without conceding, and notably thrashed Hibernian 7-0 in Edinburgh on their last visit in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round – their biggest ever European away victory.
• Celtic last played in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2013/14 but lost to Maribor of Slovenia in last season's play-offs.
• Malmö overcame Salzburg in last year's play-offs to earn a first UEFA Champions League group stage campaign. They eliminated Salzburg again in the third qualifying round earlier this month.
• Swedish teams have had marginally the better of the 30 encounters between the countries' clubs in UEFA competition: W11 D10 L9.
Links and trivia
• Celtic forward Leigh Griffiths turns 25 the day after the first leg.
• Malmö goalkeeper Marko Johansson – who made his European debut as a 16-year-old in the second qualifying round – turns 17 on the day of the Glasgow decider, 25 August.
• Both sides have Norwegian coaches: Ronny Deila at Celtic and Hareide at Malmö. Deila said in the run-up to this tie that he had been in talks about taking the Malmö job in 2014 while in charge of Strømsgodset, but Hareide was hired and Deila subsequently went to Glasgow.
• Malmö midfielder Jo Inge Berget spent last autumn on loan at Celtic when he was on the books at Cardiff City. He scored twice in four league outings.
• Celtic boast Swedish talent in the form of 44-times international defender Mikael Lustig.
• Malmö's Icelandic defender Kári Árnason played in Scotland with Aberdeen from 2011–12.
