Huge threat to Hearts in Copenhagen

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Danish side’s quality is laid bare by a recent opponent

A 6ft 4in striker, numerous established internationalists, a Champions League team last season who beat Manchester United, Galatasaray and drew with Bayern Munich in Germany. It is fair to say FC Copenhagen enter Thursday’s UEFA Conference League tie against Hearts with a daunting reputation.

Traditionally the biggest club in Denmark, FCK are in a fine run of form with an abundance of attacking threat. Hearts must stifle their dangers and avoid conceding possession needlessly inside what is likely to be a noisy Parken Stadium. If so, they could pose problems of their own against a defence with clear weaknesses.

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Giant striker Andreas Cornelius is Copenhagen’s experienced Danish internationalist who assumed the mantle of Orri Óskarsson, the Icelander sold to Real Sociedad in August in a record €20m transfer. Winger Mohamed Elyounoussi is a familiar foe from his Celtic days, whilst Brazilian winger Robert is a bag of skill, tricks and pace.

Copenhagen’s progress to the last 16 of last season’s Champions League involved home victories over United and Galatasaray, plus a 0-0 draw against Bayern in the Allianz Arena. They carry a genuine European pedigree under head coach Jacob Neestrup and are a Pot 1 side in this season’s Conference League. Hearts are Pot 4 and lost to follow Pot 4 team Cercle Brugge at the end of last month.

Derek McInnes, the Kilmarnock manager, coached his side against both Cercle and Copenhagen during this season’s European qualifiers. They lost 2-1 on aggregate to the Belgians but held the Danes for 75 minutes at Parken before losing 2-0. A 1-1 draw in the return leg at Rugby Park secured Copenhagen’s progress to the new-look league phase of the Conference League.

Speaking exclusively to the Edinburgh News, McInnes outlined how Hearts players and fans will love Parken’s surroundings - and what they must be wary of. “Copenhagen got to the last 16 of the Champions League last year. They beat Man United and wrestled with other big teams. They are the total opposite to Cercle,” he explained. “Copenhagen are a possession-based team who want to build from the back. They sold their best striker [Óskarsson] to Real Sociedad just after we played them and he was very important to them.

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“They are the biggest team in Denmark and sit top of the league, so they have obviously managed to find their feet. We felt they weren’t quite at their best when we played them. They were still searching for their best form but this is a team with plenty talent. Elyounoussi is well-known in Scotland and is a goal threat, [Thomas] Delaney is a Danish internationalist, [Viktor] Claesson played as a false No.9 against us and has plenty know-how and intelligence.

“We got to 75 minutes over there and it was 0-0, which would have been one of the best results in Kilmarnock’s history. We frustrated them but we lost two late goals. It is a proper atmosphere over there. The atmosphere builds, the Copenhagen fans have that whole end behind the goal and they are in the ground nearly an hour and a half before kick-off. They create a real atmosphere.

“The ground is a wee bit like Ibrox but not as big. It holds 38,000, probably a cross between Ibrox and Tynecastle. The stands overhang the pitch, it’s very intense and my players were loving the thought of going out there to play. It will be a brilliant occasion and the Hearts players will enjoy it. Copenhagen is a proper European venue and the fans will love that one.”

McInnes also stated that Hearts can cause Copenhagen problems if they manage to get into the final third. “Hearts, if they are brave enough, should be able to play through Copenhagen,” he said. “They play a front three narrow but they give up space down the sides at times. You can get out of their press because I don’t think the intensity is the same as, for example, Cercle Brugge. They do have that bit more quality in attack, though.

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“Kevin Diks is their best defender, Gabriel Pereira offers calmness and ability at centre-back. Rasmus Falk plays like Callum McGregor as a No.6. Everything goes through him. He is 32 years old and everybody looks for him as their first pass. We tried to make sure that first pass wasn’t on to force them to go elsewhere and make them go outside us.

“Falk is a better player when his team are in possession. Out of possession, we didn’t think he had that defensive edge to protect the two centre-backs. When Hearts are attacking, they can maybe get some joy centrally against the two centre-backs and the sitting midfielder.

“Copenhagen, like Hearts, are a few months on from the summer but, when we watched them, we didn’t think they were in full swing. They had eight or nine internationalists starting against us but we felt quietly confident of beating them. We came so close in the away leg and 2-0 was harsh on us given how long we frustrated them. I’m sure Hearts will feel they can get a result.”

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