• Competition: UEFA Europa League Qualifying
• Date: Thursday, 8th, August 2024
• Kickoff: 18:00 UK / 19.00 CEST
• Venue: Aker Stadion (Molde)

Seeking to establish a first-leg lead, Molde will play host to Belgian club Cercle Brugge at Aker Stadion for their Europa League third qualifying round clash on Thursday.

In a gripping two-legged batle with Silkeborg in the Europa League qualifiers, Molde emerged victorious with a 5-4 aggregate scoreline, making a major stride towards securing back-to-back entries into the group stage of the tournament. With apacked schedule and the climax of European qualifying duties, the Blue and Whites have been granted a week off in the Eliteserien, but their recent displays do not paint a rosy picture as three of their last four outings have culminated in defeat.

Meanwhile, Cercle Brugge advanced to the penultimate qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League after overcoming the Scottih side Kilmarnock with a tight 2-1 aggregate, with a solitary strike from captain Thibo Somers in the second leg deciding the outcome of the tie. Ahead of Thursday's European clash, Miron Muslic's men were unsuccessful in building confidence over the weekend after suffering a close 1-2 loss to Kortrijk on their own turf, leaving their tally at zero after the opening two Jupiler Pro League fixtures.

Molde vs Cercle Brugge Betting Tips: BTTS

Molde will rely on their home advantage to take the first-leg lead, but it won’t be easy against Cercle Brugge, who on paper boast a squad three times more valuable, so we anticipate an action-packed and high-scoring clash at Aker Stadion. Although their defense appeared disciplined, recording three clean sheets on the bounce between June 28 and mid-July, recent outings reveal that MFK’s rearguard has weakened, letting in eight goals in the last four. 

Regardless of the defensive shortcomings, Erling Moe's side can take pride in their great attacking talent that particularly excels on their own turf, putting at least two balls over the net in nine straight home encounters. As a result of Cercle's unofrtunate start to the Jupiler Pro League campaign, their backline has come under fire after leaking five times in the first two league matches. However, the fleet-footed attackers of Brugge could pose serious problems for Molde’s otherwise fragile defense, giving us reason to believe that the match at Aker Stadion will be a highly exciting affair where both teams are likely to get on the scoresheet.