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GERMAN RESISTANCE: Molde surprised Arsenal earlier this fall, even though they ultimately lost. In February, Molde will play Hoffenheim in the round of 16. Photo: Neil Hall / EPA
Manchester United had a nightmare draw when they faced Real Sociedad in the round of 16 of the Europa League. It was also a difficult draw for Molde, who is with Hoffenheim and Håvard Nordtveit, but in Molde you see the possibilities.
Hoffenheim have had a modest start to the season and are in twelfth place after eleven league rounds in the German Bundesliga.
– The verdict is probably such that we find a very good football team. They finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season and then our job is to look at the opportunities and the possibilities for the matches. We are reasonably happy to have Hoffenheim and we see opportunities. That’s the best I can say, Molde’s coach Erling Moe tells VG.
– We have to be offensive and hard of heart when we are part of this company. It is clear that it will be a difficult business to move forward, but we see opportunities to put up a very good fight, Moe continues.
The first round of 16 match will be played on February 18, with a return match on February 25, that is, a long time before the Elite Series 2021 begins. Therefore, Molde has already agreed to training matches with Rosenborg and Bodø / Glimt heading into the games against Hoffenheim, and also expects real winter weather when the Germans travel to Molde.
– We can expect it to be sour, cold, sleet and stormy. So we prosper well, says Moe laughing.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s Manchester United could draw against Molde in the round of 16 during the Europa League draw on Monday.
Molde advanced to the play-offs after finishing second in the group behind Arsenal in Group B, while Manchester United entered the Europa League after finishing third in Group H of the Champions League.
However, there will be no visit to Norway for Solskjær.
– It would have been great. You have to admit it, but they are a very good team that comes from the Champions League. They are among the best, so from a sporting point of view I am happy that it did not happen, says Moe that there was no meeting with Solskjær.
Instead, it will be a trip to the Basque Country for Manchester United, where they will face Real Sociedad, the team that currently leads the Spanish league.
– It’s the worst they could get, says TV 2 soccer expert Simen Stamsø Møller about the draw against Manchester United.
This is what the whole drawing looks like. Photo: Sofascore
One team that is probably very happy about the draw is Tottenham, who will play Austrian Wolfsberger.
Jens Petter Hauge’s AC Milan will travel to Serbia to play Røde Stjerne (Crvena Zvezda), while Simen Juklerød and Royal Anterp will face Rangers.
This is what the drawing looks like:
Tottenham – Wolfsberger
Club Brugge – Dynamo Kiev
Manchester United – Real Sociedad
Arsenal – Benfica
Red Star – AC Milan
Rangers – Royal Antwerp
Leicester City – Slavia Prague
Villarreal – RB Salzburg
Rome – Braga
Dinamo Zagreb – Krasnodar
Bayer Leverkusen – Young Boys
Hoffenheim – Mold
Naples – Granada
Ajax – Lille
PSV Eindhoven – Olympiacos
The first match will be played on February 18 and the return leg on February 25. The teams mentioned first end with a home game.
