TNS v Djurgardens IF team news and predicted XIs ahead of UEFA Conference League battle

Ryan Brobbel during Shamrock Rovers FC (Ireland) vs TNS (Cymru) in Round 3 of the UEFA Conference League at the Tallaght Stadium, Dublin

TNS host only their second ever home UEFA group stage fixture, hoping to maintain their 100% home win record following their 2-0 win over Astana last month. 

They face Swedish side Djurgardens IF, who finished 4th in the Allsvenskan in the recently finished season, only 1 point behind runners up Hammarby, their main Stockholm rivals. 

Järnkaminerna have had a mixed bag in their UEFA Conference League campaign, with a win, a draw and a loss in their first three games and being 16th in the League Phase table. 

It has been a tough start to the UEFA Conference League for the Swedes, having had difficult ties against LASK (Austria), Vitória S.C. (Portugal) and Panathinaikos (Greece) so far, and this is the easiest game on paper that they have had to this point. 

TNS come into this game full of confidence after a comeback win against title challengers Penybont, where they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 thanks to a late Danny Redmond goal, and maintained their place at the top of the league (should they capitalise on their game in hand).

OSWESTRY, SHROPSHIRE, ENGLAND - 12th OCTOBER 2024 - TNS' Josh Pask and Aramide Oteh before The New Saints vs Cardiff Metropolitan University FC in Round 12 of the JD Cymru Premier at Park Hall, Oswestry
Aramide Oteh will play no part against Djugardens. He hasn’t been registered by TNS for their European campaign. (Pic by Sam Eaden/FAW)

TNS Team News: 

The only injured player who is registered for UEFA Conference League football is American right-back Matthew Olosunde. The former Manchester United player has rarely featured this season after being plagued by injury. 

Ryan Astles is also out with injury, but having not been registered in this competition’s squad, would not have been able to play regardless. 

Star striker Aramide Oteh cannot play either, as he was signed after the registration deadline, and is not listed on their European squad. 

In general, The New Saints will be buoyed by their lack of unavailability and will hope to make it count come matchday. 

Out: Oteh (Unregistered), Astles (Unregistered + Injured), Olosunde (Injured) 

Predicted XI (4-3-3) 

Roberts (gk) ,Daniels, D. Davies, Bodenham, Redmond, D. Williams, L. Smith, J. Williams, Holden, Brobbel, McManus 

Manager: Craig Harrison 

Djurgårdens IF Team News: 

Unavailability for the away side comes from lack of registration, and players Piotr Johansson, Albin Ekdal and Malkom Nilsson Safqvist are all not in the European squad list. 

Of these absentees, Albin Ekdal is the highest profile. Formerly of Juventus and Sampdoria, midfielder Ekdal was left out of the Conference League squad following some injury struggles. 

Similarly to Ryan Astles, Piotr Johansson has a long-term injury with that being the reason that he is not registered. 

With the away side at full capacity, they will have faith in not being on the wrong end of an upset away to the Welsh champions. 

Out: P. Johansson (Unregistered + Injured) , Ekdal, Nilsson Safqvist (unregistered) 

Predicted XI: (4-2-3-1) 

O. Jansson (gk), Ståhl Une Larsson, Danielsson, Kosugi, Sabovic, Stensson, Wikheim, Gulliksen, Nguen, Hümmet 

Manager: Roberth Bjorknesjo

(Featured Image: Sam Eaden/FAW)

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