Hibs drawn to face Molde in UEFA Youth League and learn potential second-round opponents

Hibs have been drawn to face Molde of Norway in the first round of the UEFA Youth League Domestic Champions Path.

The Lennart Johansson trophy, awarded to the victors of the UEFA Youth League, seen at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon, Switzerland

The Easter Road side, who qualified for the tournament after winning the CAS Elite Under-18 League last season, were placed in Group 2 ahead of the draw along with AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, Molde of Norway, Swedish side AIK, Luxembourg representatives Racing FC Union Luxembourg, Irish side Shamrock Rovers, North Macedonia’s Pobeda, and NIFL Premiership side Coleraine.

The teams met in the Europa League third-round qualifying stage in 2018, with Molde winning 3-0 on aggregate.

Hibs avoided top-ranked side AZ, who were paired with Shamrock Rovers, and dodged a 4,000-mile round trip to North Macedonia to meet Pobeda, who were drawn to face Coleraine.

Hibs face Norwegian side Molde in the UEFA Youth League, in a repeat of the Europa League third qualifying round tie between the two teams in 2018

AIK play Racing Union in the other Group 2 meeting.

Hibs will travel to Molde for the first leg on September 14 with the second leg fixed for October 5, which could be played at Easter Road.

Second-round opponents

Should they eliminate the Norwegian side, who Hibs met in the Europa League third-round qualifiers in August 2018, they will take on the winners of the match between FC Nantes of France and Armenian side Pyunik in the second round, with ties due to be played on October 26 and November 2 and Hibs scheduled at home first.

Steve Kean welcomed the draw, and sees positives in being away from home first

The Capital club are making their debut in the competition, established in 2013, and are one of 64 teams competing for Europe’s top youth prize.

The other side of the draw, the Champions League Path Group stage, mirrors the senior competition with Celtic and Rangers both involved.

HIbs academy chief Steve Kean, who was in Nyon for the draw at UEFA headquarters, welcomed the draw and stated his intent to take the club as far as possible in the competition.

He said: “I think the draw is good for us. Molde FK qualified through their domestic cup and have a strong group; they’ve got seven or eight players in that age group that are representing their country and four 2003s.

“As we know, though, we’ve got a very strong group too, so hopefully we will get through the First Round.

I think it’s a slight advantage being away from home first because we know what we have to do in the second leg at home at Easter Road.

“It’s difficult logistically to get to Norway, but we will get through that. We’ll prepare properly and arrive a few days before. Molde FK have provided us with facilities to train in too.

“We’re going to try and organise a few games for the lads, so they can come together and get back on the same page with each other last year.

“They’re looking forward to representing the club at this level. We want to kick on and go as deep into this competition as possible.”

Molde’s last involvement in the competition came in during the 2018/19 season, when they suffered a crushing 14-1 aggregate defeat to tournament runners-up Chelsea in the first round of the Domestic Champions path, losing 10-1 at the Blues’ Cobham Training Centre with Scotland internationalist Billy Gilmour scoring a hat-trick, and 4-0 in Norway.

They fared slightly better the previous season, beating Irish side UCD on penalties in the first round and Zimbru Chișinău of Moldova 2-0 on aggregate in the second round before losing on penalties to Monaco in the play-off round.