FC Midtjylland boss in heated argument with rival ahead of Hibs as tensions get personal in six goal thriller

FC Midtjylland boss Thomas Thomasberg has shown Hibs his fiery side ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash - as he apologises for a heated argument.

The Danish Superliga side are what stands in the Easter Road side’s way in second round qualification action. Leg one takes place in Denmark on Thursday before the return fixture a week later, with David Gray and co keen to seal progress to the next Europa League frontier, where they will face Fredrikstad FK if successful .

Midtjylland’s domestic campaign started on Sunday in an error-strewn 3-3 draw with Odense BK, where the boss lamented individual mistakes. According to Bold, Thomasberg was involved “in a heated argument with OB head coach Alexander Zorniger.” It arose when FCM's Pedro Bravo was lying on the deck injured and their opponents played on, despite the hosts previously sailing the ball out of play after an injury to Jay-Roy Grot. Thomasberg has admitted though that he was in the wrong as things turned personal.

Why FC Midtjylland boss was involved in row

He said: “There was nothing more to it. I also told him that I shouldn't have stood there pointing. I know that, but they had just been after us once before, where the ball hadn't been kicked out. So we kind of think it was a similar situation, where they were a little behind us. So there was nothing more to it. That was fine. It was me, as I shouldn't have stood there pointing fingers at him, because it became a little more obvious and personal.”

While happy with the attacking side of the game, Thomasberg admits the defensive side at times was cause for concern. He added: “The biggest thing is that we didn't win the game. We have to win a home game in the first round, so I'm disappointed about that. We make some mistakes that lead to the goals, but our defence and pressing game were generally in good control, but are of course overshadowed by the other things.

“When I look at it purely offensively, I think we created the chances we needed. If that's the norm for what we create offensively this season, we're going to win a lot of football games. At the start of the second half – after scoring two goals just before half-time – we didn't come out properly.

FC Midtjylland verdict on Odense draw

“For 20-25 minutes we invited OB back into the game a bit, and yet we managed to put some good pressure on them in the end. If we had won 4-3, we would have been happy with that, but we are disappointed and disappointed with the final result.”

Goalkeeper Jonas Lossl added: “It personally matters when I set them off with my mistake. But we also have to look at the quality and nerve we bring. I think we are playing a really good game, but it is clear that the mistakes some of us make, myself included, matter the most.

“We show power and class in terms of coming back, but of course it's difficult when we make three individual mistakes. We're there for each other; mistakes are part of football, but for three to fall today is obviously extreme. One point is disappointing. We should have had three points.”