Hibernian

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Defender Jack Iredale says Hibs can take confidence from their first-leg performance against Midtjylland and hopes a packed Easter Road can push them on to a historic win tonight.

The Europa League qualifying tie is evenly poised at 1-1 and Easter Road will host a record home crowd of 18,500 - the largest since the stadium's redevelopment in the 1990s - due to the small size of the travelling Danish contingent.

And after witnessing the racket made by the travelling Hibees, Iredale cannot wait to experience a European night under the lights in Leith.

"I think to a man we all delivered, but we know that was only half the job done, and we know how big an evening this is going to be for us," said the 29-year-old.

"I'm really excited. Even during the warm-up over there, me and a couple of the boys were talking about how good we felt because of the support we had, and that was only 1,000 fans in the corner of the stadium.

"I'm still not even sure if the fans understand how much that helps us, even without preparations and then certain stages of the game where you need that extra boost in there for us.

"That was another one of the messages before the game, we didn't go through everything we did last season just to get papped out on day one, so we want to continue this journey. There's so much more to come from us as well.

"We didn't do all that work from Christmas on November onwards just to trip at the first hurdle, so we know we can't sit back against them."

Iredale's Hibs form was recognised with a first senior call-up for Australia at the end of last season. He now hopes exposure to high-pressure European fixtures will help him achieve a lifelong dream of playing for his national side.

"I'm desperate to play for Australia, it's one thing that you know I really want to do and playing in a club as big as this in competitions as big as this, it's only going to help," he said.

"With how big the games have been for Australia recently, he [head coach Tony Popovic] needs to know that people can deal with that pressure."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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David Gray says a return to Hibs for Nectar Triantis was always a "potential opportunity" but insists the club have other transfer targets to pursue if a move doesn't materialise.

With reports suggesting Triantis won't be returning to the club this summer from Sunderland, Gray remained coy but was keen to emphasise he is not their only transfer target.

"If that's what the lie of the land is…" Gray commented on the reports.

He added: "I think I've been very consistent in saying that, quite clearly, Nectar has done so well for us last season, we know that.

"We've also been very clear that it's not just Nectar Triantis, we can't put everything into one position or one player, we know that, so the hard work has been going on.

"And while it was still a potential opportunity, you'd always look to try and explore it because of how well he'd done. But it was always going to be that, with it being his second loan spell here, how well he'd done, his parent club getting promoted and what his situation was going to be.

"Naturally, so we are constantly looking to see what can be done to try and improve the squad, but clearly my focus right now is tomorrow night and the game."

Gray also said new recruits Jamie McGrath and Josh Mulligan's previous Scottish football experience has been key to their immediate impact at the club.

Former Aberdeen midfielder McGrath scored in the first-leg win over Midtjylland last week and ex-Dundee player Mulligan also made his debut, with Hibs hosting the Danes tomorrow night in a tie locked at 1-1.

"It's been great. Clearly they were playing in our league last year so you can get a sense of what they're like pretty quickly," said Gray.

"They are two quality players that can add straight away to what we're looking to do and then I also think that's a reflection on the group that have been here, the core that welcome new players, make them settle quickly."

Gray also said he won't rush record signing Klidje into action, adding: "There is not too much expectation from me in terms of demand to try and get him minutes straight away."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Head coach David Gray has been speaking to the media before Hibs' Europa League second-round qualifier second leg against Midtjylland on Thursday night.

Here are the key points:

• Gray says "all we could hope for" after the first leg was to still be in the tie and the "players can take a lot of confidence from the last game".

• But he has been "quick to remind them" it is only the halfway point in the tie and it will "not become easier because it's at home".

• The head coach has stressed the need to at least replicate the level of their away performance against a "top team" that competes in the Champions League.

• Gray expects Midtjylland to arrive full of confidence after their 6-2 win on Monday evening over Sonderjyske, and all of the squad are "well aware" of the challenge they will face.

• A record home crowd is expected at Easter Road on Thursday evening, with Gray saying: "These are the nights you want, this is why you do it".

• "The support around the club right now is a reflection of how well the group's done," he adds. "There is a feel-good factor at the club right now".

• Gray has warned his players that "the challenge doesn't get easier from our point of view, they're still favourites because of who they are" and Hibs must be at their "absolute best" if they want to progress.

• With reports suggesting Nectar Triantis won't be returning, Gray says the club aren't putting all their effort into one player and they are "constantly looking to see what can be done to improve the squad".

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A quick glance at Midtjylland's early-season form tells you Hibs still face an arduous task to progress in Europa League qualifying.

The Danes have skelped in nine goals in their two Superliga outings so far - including a 6-2 rout of Sonderjyske on Monday - and travel to Edinburgh on Thursday for the second leg of a tie delicately poised at 1-1.

Can Hibs maintain their own "good vibe" by completing the job at a sellout Easter Road?

The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan, speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, said: "I think of the three games [involving Scottish teams], Hibs is the one that's still most in the balance. And I say that not to criticise Hibs remotely, but to acknowledge the quality of the opposition.

"Midtjylland's season is up and running and they are scoring goals. They've played two league games and scored nine times. So it's within their capabilities to come to Easter Road and win.

"But what I found impressive about Hibs was, there just feels like a good vibe around this team and this club at the moment. That first leg very much felt like a continuation of the way things have gone for the club since about November.

"There's momentum, there's confidence. They're a hard-working team. They do a lot of running, they do a lot of pressing.

"And there was only two new faces in that side. Hibs had Josh Mulligan in and Jamie McGrath, both of whom played well in the first leg. But otherwise, it was nine out of 11 who had been a winning unit together.

"This is the most interesting of the second legs because it could still go either way. And the fact it's a sellout at Easter Road will be really intriguing."

Hibernian have been informed that Nectarios Triantis will not be returning to Easter Road after last season's loan as, although Sunderland have not decided on his future, the 22-year-old Australia midfielder has Championship interest along with keen suitors from major European leagues and the United States. (Daily Record), external

Hibernian, Kasimpasa and Neftchi Baku are also interested in Mouhamed Belkheir, but Al-Riyadh are close to an agreement to sign the 26-year-old forward for £1.3m from La Louviere. (Arobase Dzair on X), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

Where will you finish in the league and why?

Fourth. We were clearly the third-best team last season, even allowing for a disastrous start. We've managed to keep the majority of that squad together and added some real quality in Jamie McGrath, Josh Mulligan and Thibault Klidje. I would fancy us for third again, but historically clubs have struggled to balance European football with the domestic campaign, so I'll go for fourth.

Who is the best signing or has he not signed yet, and who should it be?

We've broken our transfer record on Klidje so expectations are high that the speedy forward will make a big impact at Easter Road. There's still a clamour for Nectar Triantis to re-sign, however I suspect that ship has sailed.

What do you want from your manager this season?

Sir David Gray, as he's known locally, had a great first season in charge so more of the same would be the hope this time around. He's shown himself to be a terrific man-manager and that has perhaps unfairly overshadowed his tactical awareness. I hope he delivers a European run we can be proud of, but most of all I just want to see the consistency that served us so well last season.

Who will be the breakout star in your squad?

My tip is Mulligan. He shone at Dundee last season and is the prototype of the signings Hibs should be making - young Scottish talent with bags of potential. I think he'll excel on the bigger stage at Easter Road.

What is your one major concern?

Whether we have the depth of squad to compete on all fronts this season. I expect more from Aberdeen and a few of last season's bottom-six clubs have shown they're capable of more, so there's no room for the woeful that we suffered last season – we need to be on it from the word go.

You can find Matty Fairnie at Longbangers podcast, external

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Midtjylland thumped Sonderjyske 6-2 in the Danish Superliga as they prepared for the second leg of their Europa League second qualifying round tie against Hibs on Thursday.

Goals from Adam Gabriel, Valdemar Andreasen, Mads Bech Sorensen, as well as a hat-trick from Franculino Dju secured three points for Midtjylland, who are now third in the table after two rounds of fixtures.

Despite the dominant scoreline, Sonderjyske had 20 shots at goal, only one fewer than Midtjylland, suggesting the victory was not plain sailing for Thomas Thomasberg's side.

The Danes drew 1-1 with Hibs in Herning last week after Aral Simsir cancelled out Jamie McGrath's opener.

The winners at Easter Road on Thursday will progress to face Fredrikstad of Norway.

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Livingston will host Hibernian in the second round of the League Cup.

Livi secured their spot as one of the best runners-up with a 6-0 thrashing of Kelty Hearts on Saturday.

Ties are due to be played on the weekend of 16th/17th August.

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Hibernian's hopes of signing Nectarios Triantis on a record permanent transfer following last season's loan have suffered a blow after the 22-year-old Australia midfielder triggered a significant wage increase as a result of Sunderland's promotion back to the Premier League that the Scottish Premiership club would struggle to match. (Sunday Mail), external

Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.

Midtjylland captain Mads Bech Sorensen says the Danes will be playing "against 20,000" in their Europa League qualifying second leg with Hibernian at Easter Road, with the tie finely poised at 1-1. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

Brian McLauchlin in Denmark
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Jamie McGrath says Hibs "fancy their chances" of overcoming Midtjylland at Easter Road after being disappointed to only draw in Denmark.

The midfielder's debut goal set the tone for an impressive performance for David Gray's side, who are looking to finish the job next Thursday and secure a place in the Europa League third qualifying round against Fredrikstad of Norway.

"Overall we are disappointed not to win the game," McGrath told BBC Scotland.

"It was a moment of magic to be fair [for Midtjylland's goal] but I don't think they cut us open from a defensive point of view.

"Going the other way I think we could be a bit better. We missed a few passes we really could have hurt them with, but the goal was to keep the tie alive for next week and we are in a good position.

"It's a tough place to come. They are a Champions League team but we missed some really good opportunities on the transition which maybe on another night we can score one or two more.

"They are obviously favourites for the tie but what we saw on Thursday night we will get at Easter Road as well. We will be looking to fancy our chances at Easter Road as well.

"With the Easter Road crowd, the place will be absolutely buzzing so I am looking forward to being part of that next week."

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Hibs academy graduate Oscar MacIntyre has joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a permanent transfer.

The 20-year-old left-back, who spent last term on loan with Queen of the South, made his Hibs debut in May 2022 and played two more games.

"This move will give Oscar the chance to kick-on with the rest of his career and to challenge himself at a competitive level with a good club," said sporting director Malky Mackay.

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Goalkeeper Jordan Smith was proud of how Hibs handled the tough mentality test in their draw with dangerous Danish side Midtjylland.

After Jamie McGrath's early opener, Smith and his defence dealt with everything the hosts could muster until he was beaten by Aral Simsir's superb free-kick into the top corner.

The result means Hibs head into next Thursday's second leg at Easter Road knowing a win will be enough to see them into the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

"It was a tough tie, they asked a lot of questions of us, and ultimately we were probably a bit disappointed that we didn't win the game having been in that winning position," Smith told HibsTV.

"However, there are certainly more positives to take out of the game than negatives - we're fairly happy going back to Easter Road with it all to play for.

"It was a very mentally testing game for me, but defensively we've got a really good understanding of each other at the back. They are a quality side, with quality players – so we knew they were going to ask us questions, but I think we stood up to that task.

"It was nice to make my European debut at the age of 30 as well.

"I'm really proud of the boys. We didn't let the occasion get to us, we showed the opposition respect without showing them too much respect, and we took the game to them. We showed moments of our own quality and we did the other side of the game really well.

"If you had asked us before the game, we probably would've taken that result. It is all to play for next week."

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We asked for your views on Hibernian's 1-1 draw away to Midtjylland in the first leg of their Europa League second-round qualifier.

Here's what some of you said:

John: Very good team performance and means next week's game should see Easter Road sold out. We need to remain cautious but with the momentum the crowd can bring we have a fantastic opportunity.

Billy: Defensively the team put in a real shift - disciplined, compact, and working as a unit. We were tough to break down and made it very difficult for the opposition to play through us. Great to see that level of commitment. In attack, however, we lacked a bit of composure. I'd like to see the lads give themselves a moment to breathe - retain possession, settle things down, and build the attack with a bit more patience. That said, it's a great result overall and plenty of positives to build on.

George: Played well enough. Keeper looked secure, defence solid, midfield worked hard. Martin Boyle just a shade offside which is a shame because I recon that would've killed them off. Tactically spot on from David Gray and crew. Leg two will be tricky though as they can play a bit.

Andrew: Really positive result to take back. It was key to leave ourselves something to take back home to build on and we have done just that. Sure, we possibly rode our luck a bit but the result is all that matters. Impressive performances all round, especially against a team of their stature who are ranked 166 places above us. The result is by no means guaranteed but we have a European night to look forward to at Easter Road with all to play for which, before this game, wasn't guaranteed.

Gordon: Absolutely outstanding from Hibs. Could gave been two or three up at half-time. A lot more defending in the second half but the defence and, in particular that man Rocky Bushiri, were superb. Only a stunning free-kick got through. What a night next Thursday will be at a packed Easter Road, absolutely rocking.

Matty: We had a great game with our defensive style and our counter-attacking. Our mentality heading into this game was worrying because of the Bolton loss but this game shows that we are ready to take that big step to possibly put ourselves into the Europa League. It shows the togetherness of the fans and the players that we knew was always there.

Kenny: Any result away from home in Europe is a good result. The advantage is now with us to finish the job. It's also good to get the first competitive game out of the way having had a good performance.

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Former Hibs midfielder Scott Allan: A lot of how Midtjylland were not as potent as you thought they would be was down to Hibs.

In the second half, you know they are going to pile on the pressure.

Hibs' defence turned into a back five and held firm apart from being undone by a brilliant free-kick, but it brings hope for the second leg.

Former Hibs skipper Joelle Murray: Content, delighted. We said a draw would be ideal to take back to Easter Road. A draw was probably deserved.

The performance and result brings hope and belief that, in front of a packed Easter Road, it gives the players the confidence to go on and win the tie.

There's massively high hopes for Kieron Bowie this season. I think his experience with the national team will only benefit Hibs this season.

Hibs fans, did you make the trip over to Denmark or were you following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the performance.

Are you happy with the draw? What did you make of the new recruits in their first competitive match?

Have your say on the game

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Hibernian head coach David Gray: "The challenge was always to keep the tie alive and give us something to build on.

"With the level of performance, I am delighted for the players. They were outstanding to a man.

"But it is only half the job. We knew that. But I want the players to take confidence from this because we went and matched a Champions League team from last season.

"Not getting carried away because we had to do a lot of defending. We've got things to improve on because we want to get through to the next round but our objective was to keep the tie alive and we've done that.

"I don't want to single anybody out because it was a real collective performance. The tie is still alive and there's everything to play for in the second leg and that's all you can ask for from an away tie in Europe.

"It took a fantastic free-kick for them to score a goal and I think that's credit to the defenders. The players need to keep believing, keep working hard and stay humble to make sure they keep improving."

Brian McLauchlin in Denmark
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hibs midfielder Jamie McGrath has stressed the importance of keeping the Europa League qualifying tie against Midtjylland alive for next week's return at "rocking" Easter Road.

The Republic of Ireland international, a summer arrival from Aberdeen, is set to make his Hibs debut in the first leg in Denmark on Thursday night.

"I've really settled in really well," 28-year-old McGrath told BBC Scotland.

"Hopefully we can show what we're about and hit the ground running for the season.

"Obviously they're a very good team. They're used to group-stage football and we'll have our work cut out.

"But on the flip side, we're also very dangerous on the counter. Hopefully we can bring it back to Easter Road next week and get the place rocking.

"Away games in Europe are tough, so you have to stay in the game, but we know we can score goals against anybody.

"Let's try to bring it back to Easter Road next week. The boys showed last season they're more than capable of beating anybody at home. That's certainly what we'll be looking to do."

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Hibs' reward for ending their long wait to lift the Scottish Cup in 2016 was a meeting with Brondby at the same stage of this competition.

The Danes left Easter Road with a 1-0 victory - a first-half goalkeeping howler from Otso Virtanen saw Kamil Wilczec's strike on just 17 seconds go in, but that was the only goal in a pulsating game in Edinburgh.

One week later, in the knowledge they needed at least one goal to force extra-time, David Gray - who scored the famous stoppage-time winner at Hampden - found an equaliser in Copenhagen to take the second leg to a penalty shootout.

Gray hirpled off, but Paul Hanlon, Grant Holt and Martin Boyle were all on hand to net at crunch time.

Scotland midfielder John McGinn put his head above the parapet too, but he was the only player to miss from the spot as Neil Lennon's side crashed out.