Aarhus
In the first match of the third qualifying round of Champions League qualifying, Danish side Aarhus host Azerbaijani side Sabah at Randers Stadium 5 August 2026 at 17:30 BST.
Although Aarhus came through against Lech Poznan in dramatic fashion in the previous round, they are favourites both for the home game and for the tie overall.
It seemed several times that Aarhus had lost their chance of getting past Lech Poznan, but the Danish side survived each time and, in the end, they are the ones who will face Sabah for the right to play in the play-off round.
Be honest: would you have backed Aarhus to win in normal time away in Poznan after a 1:4 home thrashing? More precisely, to win with a big handicap. You would have had to be a desperate optimist to believe it, but Jakob Poulsen's team performed a miracle. They were a little fortunate that the referee did not deem Jonas Jensen-Abbew's handball on the goal line worthy of a penalty while the score was still 0:0. But even in the home defeat, the Whites looked bold and more liberated in attack than the visitors. The poor result at Randers Stadium was affected by the sending-off of goalkeeper Jesper Hansen in the first half. As it turned out, his understudy Mads Hedenstad is no worse: he saved two shots in the penalty shootout.
Sabah did not suffer in the same way against their opponents, but KuPS are not comparable with the champions of Poland either. The Finnish team's squad is valued at 6.3 million euros, while Lech Poznan's is worth 55 million. Aarhus's entire squad, meanwhile, is worth 35 million. Sabah's squad is twice as cheap as the Danish side's. The Azerbaijani team's game is built through midfielder Aleksey Isayev — without his efforts, neither goal in the away match would have happened. Two of the three goals in that round were scored by Veljko Simic, who had only just joined the Owls.
Aarhus come into this game with a fairly crowded treatment room (six players), but those available on the pitch have enough quality to beat Sabah, who have reached Champions League qualifying for the first time. It is entirely possible they will also be able to build a cushion before the return leg.
Rade Obrenovic (Slovenia)
Matches — 10 (international fixtures, 2025-2026);
Average fouls per match — 24;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellows) — 4.4;
Matches with red cards — 0 out of 10;
Matches with penalties — 2 out of 10.
|
Jakob Poulsen
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Mads Hedenstad Christiansen
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Colin Rösler
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Eric Andre Kahl
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Frederik Beyer Tingager
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jens Jønsson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kristian Fredrik Malt Arnstad
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Magnus Nordengen Knudsen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mikael Neville Anderson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Frederik Emmery Søgaard
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
James Bogere
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tobias Bech Kristensen
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Hamuza Sengooba
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Jesper Hansen
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Christian Storch
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jacob Florentin Andersen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mouhammade Camara
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rasmus Bjerregaard Carstensen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Markus Solbakken
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Neo Gift Links
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Sebastian Vinther Jørgensen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Janni-Luca Serra
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Stefen Erwan Tchamche
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tómas Óli Kristjánsson
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Valdas Dambrauskas
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Stas Pokatilov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Akim Zedadka
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rəhman Daşdəmirov
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Steve Loic Solvet
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tymoteusz Puchacz
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aleksey İsayev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ivan Lepinjica
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Joy-Lance Mickels
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kaheem Anthony Parris
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Umarali Rakhmonaliev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Veljko Simić
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Amin Ramazanov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rəvan Mirzəmmədov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aden McCarthy
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Erivaldo Almeida Santos Junior
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Abdulla Xaybulayev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rauf Rüstəmli
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rodrigo Francisco Pinto Vieira Fernandes
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tellur Mütəllimov
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Xander David Severina
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Christian Nwachukwu
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Patrick Orphé Mbina
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Younes Lachaab
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Lech
Aarhus
Aarhus
Lech
KuPS
FK Sabah
FK Sabah
KuPS
The New Saints
FK Sabah
FK Sabah
The New Saints
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
PSG
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6:1 | 3 |
|
2
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Barcelona
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Manchester United
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
5
|
Como
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Sporting CP
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Stuttgart
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Manchester City
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
Aston Villa
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
10
|
Lens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
11
|
Real Betis
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
12
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
13
|
Liverpool
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
14
|
Real Madrid
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
15
|
Arsenal
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
16
|
AEK Athens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
17
|
AS Roma
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
18
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
19
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
20
|
PSV
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
21
|
Villarreal
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
22
|
Brugge
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
24
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
25
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
26
|
Inter Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
27
|
LASK Linz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Napoli
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
29
|
Galatasaray
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
30
|
Viking
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
31
|
Porto
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Feyenoord
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
FK Sabah
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
35
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
36
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:5 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
PSG
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6:1 | 3 |
|
2
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Barcelona
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Manchester United
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
5
|
Como
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Sporting CP
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Stuttgart
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
9
|
Liverpool
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
10
|
Real Madrid
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
11
|
AEK Athens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
12
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
13
|
PSV
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
14
|
Manchester City
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
15
|
Aston Villa
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
16
|
Lens
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
17
|
Real Betis
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
18
|
Arsenal
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
19
|
AS Roma
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
20
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
21
|
Villarreal
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
22
|
Brugge
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
24
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
25
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
26
|
Inter Milan
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
27
|
LASK Linz
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
28
|
Napoli
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
29
|
Galatasaray
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
30
|
Viking
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
31
|
Porto
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
33
|
Feyenoord
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
34
|
FK Sabah
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
35
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
36
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Manchester City
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
2
|
Aston Villa
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
3
|
Lens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
4
|
Real Betis
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
5
|
Arsenal
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
6
|
AS Roma
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
7
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
8
|
PSG
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
9
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
10
|
Barcelona
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
11
|
Manchester United
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
12
|
Como
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
13
|
Sporting CP
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
14
|
Stuttgart
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
15
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
16
|
Liverpool
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
17
|
Real Madrid
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
18
|
AEK Athens
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
19
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
20
|
PSV
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
21
|
Villarreal
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
22
|
Brugge
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lille
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
24
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
25
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
26
|
Inter Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
27
|
LASK Linz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Napoli
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
29
|
Galatasaray
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
30
|
Viking
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
31
|
Porto
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
32
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Feyenoord
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
FK Sabah
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
35
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
36
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:5 | 0 |
