Elfsborg currently holds 28th place in the Europa League standings, sitting just one point shy of the 24th spot that would earn them a place in the play-offs. The Swedish club’s performance has been mixed, with a notable 1-0 win over Roma and a 1-1 draw against Braga at home.
However, they have struggled on the road, losing 3-2 to Alkmaar, 4-3 to Galatasaray, and suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Bilbao. Domestically, Elfsborg has been underwhelming, finishing 7th in the Swedish league, which concluded on November 10.
Qarabag, ranked 32nd in the Europa League, is one point behind Elfsborg. The Azerbaijani side started with three losses, including defeats to Tottenham (3-0), Malmö (1-2), and Ajax (0-3), but then secured a crucial 1-2 victory over Bodö/Glimt.
Despite a recent 1-4 loss to Lyon, Qarabag has been in excellent form domestically, winning their last three matches to move to the top of the league. They are unbeaten in their last 11 league games and will face Sabah Baku next weekend.
For Elfsborg, striker Frick is sidelined due to injury, while Ghanaian forward Baidoo, who has scored 10 goals and provided 5 assists in the league and 2 goals in the Europa League, will lead the attack.
Midfielder Hedlund, with 7 goals and 6 assists in the league, along with wingers Qasem and Zeneli, are key players for the team. Qarabag will be without goalkeeper Ramazanov due to injury, but striker Xhixha, who missed the previous Europa League match, is available for selection.
Leandro Andrade, the team’s top scorer with 7 league goals, might start, despite being benched in the last match against Lyon. Brazilian Juninho, who has 3 league goals and 2 in the Europa League, could also feature, along with Benzia, who has scored 3 goals in the league.
Prediction
Qarabag has been in superb form in the Europa League, winning 33 out of the last 35 points available, including six consecutive away victories.
In contrast, Elfsborg has struggled in the competition, failing to win any of their last 11 Europa League matches, with 4 draws and 8 losses. Based on Qarabag’s strong performance, a 1-2 win for them is the likely outcome.