Hareide to bid farewell to Malmö

Åge Hareide will step down as Malmö coach at the end of the year, with the matchday six game against Real Madrid set to be the 62-year-old's last in charge of the Swedish club.

"I thank the club for two fantastic years," the Norwegian said. "Thanks to the players, staff, all the club employees and thanks to all the supporters too. It has been a fantastic time." Hareide took the Malmö reins in January 2014, leading them to a domestic double in his first term and guiding them to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in successive seasons.

The former Molde, Manchester City and Norwich City defender was capped 50 times by Norway, and later coached his national team. He is the only coach to have won titles in all the big Nordic nations – Sweden (with Helsingborg and Malmö), Norway (with Rosenborg) and Denmark (with Brøndby). Hareide has been linked with the post of Denmark national-team boss, standing vacant following Morten Olsen's retirement.

Malmö can no longer reach the round of 16, but the right combination of Group A results next week could earn them a berth in the UEFA Europa League round of 32.