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Danish delights for European nights

Christian Wenande
August 27th, 2021


This article is more than 3 years old.

Brøndby, FC Copenhagen, FC Midtjylland and Randers will all be representing Denmark in critical season in Europe

It’s been a while since Brøndby were in a European draw (photo: UEFA)

Following a couple of rather meagre years for Danish teams in European football, this season could help turn the tide.

With Brøndby, FC Copenhagen, FC Midtjylland and Randers all participating in European competition group stages, there is ample opportunity to make up lost ground in the European coefficient rankings.

FC Midtjylland and reigning Superliga champions Brøndby lost out in the Champions League qualifiers, but will have a chance in the Europa League instead.

And with both teams seeded fourth the draw was always going to offer up some stern opposition. 

But it ended up being a decent draw, with Brøndby going into Group A with Lyon, Rangers and Sparta Prague.

It was even better for FC Midtjylland, who will take on the likes of Braga, Red Star Belgrade and Ludogorets in Group F.

Lions and Blue Horses ready
Meanwhile, FC Copenhagen and Danish Cup holders Randers were involved in the group stage draw in the inaugural Conference League.

FC Copenhagen, a top seed in the draw, will face PAOK Thessaloniki, Slovan Bratislava and Lincoln Red Imps in Group F.

And Randers, another fourth seed, will match up against AZ Alkmaar, Cluj and Jablonec in Group D.

READ ALSO: National team coach concerned about increasing foreign ownership of Danish clubs

Points desperately needed
Denmark needs every point it can get on the UEFA coefficient list, which is based on performances over the past five years in Europe.

Currently, Denmark sits 23rd, but can make up lost ground this season because of the many teams still in contention and the few number competing nations have.

For instance, Sweden, Norway, Greece and Israel (ranked 19-22) all have either two or only one team left to get points. 

And the teams ranked 15-18, Croatia (1), Cyprus (2), Turkey and the Czech Republic (both 3), all have fewer teams participating too. 

Basically, Denmark needs some strong results this season, and probably a long run from one of the teams, to make up the lost ground.

Europa League:

Conference League:


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”