Malmo will go into their Europa League opener with Rangers on Thursday brimming with confidence after thrashing BK Hacken 4-0 on Sunday.
Henrik Rydstrom’s side extended their lead at the top of the Allsvenskan table to 11 points over nearest challengers Djurgardens, with the victory also maintaining their seven-game unbeaten run in the Swedish top-tier. Danish veteran Anders Christiansen helped himself to a brace with goals in either half while former Anderlecht and Leverkusen star Isaac Kiese Thelin and Norway international Erik Botheim were also on the scoresheet.
Malmo will host Philippe Clement‘s men on matchday one in the Europa League this week, dropping into the competition after suffering a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Sparta Prague in the Champions League play-off round last month. In preparation for the tie, head coach Rydstrom made made six changes against Häcken from the previous 0-0 draw with GAIS last weekend, with Johan Dahlin, Colin Rösler, Sergio Peña, Christiansen, Hugo Bolin and Kiese Thelin coming into the team.
The Swedish side have already racked up an impressive record against the Ibrox club, having not lost to them in each of their four meetings. At the start of the 2011/12 campaign, they bested Rangers in a Champions League third-round qualifier, following up a 1-1 draw in Sweden with a 1-0 win in Govan in the return leg.
More recently, Steven Gerrard’s Gers also suffered disappointment at the hands of Malmo, losing 2-1 in both legs at the same stage in Champions League qualifying. Antonio Colak scored both of the Swede’s goals in the win at Ibrox, and impressed Rangers so much that they forked out £1.8million to sign the Croatian striker from Greek outfit PAOK 12 months later.
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