Reigning Swedish champions BK Hacken will host Welsh Premier Division champions The New Saints (TNS) on Wednesday night in their Champions League first qualifying round first leg match.
Hacken go into the match on Wednesday night with an upper hand. The Wasps are in the middle of the current Allsvenskan season and have played 15 times domestically.
TNS won’t start their league season until August. The lack of game time could hurt TNS’s hopes of reaching the second qualifying round.
Last season, TNS romped to their 15th league title. The Saints finished 22 points ahead of second-placed Connah’s Quay Nomads.
TNS won the last two Welsh Premier Division titles and are building a dynasty domestically.
Despite dominating their domestic league, the Saints are still trying to crack European competitions.
The club has never qualified for the group stage of a European tournament.
Last season, TNS were dumped from the Champions League first qualifying round by Northern Ireland’s Linfield.
Hacken will feel confident of a home win to kick off the qualifying rounds.
European competitions have been difficult for Hacken to qualify for, too. This is the first time they have played in the Champions League qualifying rounds.
Last season’s title win in Sweden was BK Hacken’s first ever. Trophies have been few and far between for the Wasps over the years.
Hacken are currently third in the Allsvenskan table and three points off first-placed Elfsborg.
Manager Per-Mathias Hogmo has an in-form team going into Wednesday’s match. Hacken are unbeaten in five straight league games, four of which were wins.
Hogmo has no fresh injuries to worry about and can select from a fresh squad. Striker Benie Traore is in fine form for Hacken. He has 12 goals this season in the Allsvenskan. Traore leads the Allsvenskan in goals this term.
Midfielder Mikkel Rygaard is BK Hacken’s chief goal creator. Rygaard has nine league assists. Hogmo will deploy the team in a 4-3-3 attacking formation and take the game to TNS.
TNS manager Craig Harrison is still building his squad for the new campaign. New signings Rory Holden, Daniel Williams, and Reece Thompson could all see action.
Harrison is in his second year as manager at Saints. He used a 4-3-3 formation for most of last season. Saints will likely play the same attacking formation in an attempt to offset BK Hacken’s attack.
Despite TNS’s strong season last year, BK Hacken’s fitness will show on Wednesday. The Wasps should post a 3-1 win at home.
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