Getting to know you: Everything about Olympiacos' next Europa League opponent Malmö | OneFootball

Olympiacos are set for a crunch matchday three clash with Swedish champions, Malmö. This edition of “Getting to Know You” will allow you to get to know our opponents a little better, as Thrylos look to build on the success of their win last time out at home.

Background

Malmö FF are a Swedish club based in the Scania region, in the very south of Sweden. Founded in 1910, they have gone on to become the country’s most successful club.

The club has the nicknames "The Blues" or "The Sky Blues," courtesy of the colours they have worn at home since 1920.

Malmö have several rivalries with other clubs, the biggest being shared with Helsingborgs. The two clubs, being the largest in the Scania region, regularly compete in the Allsvenskan. IFK Göteborg and Malmö are the two clubs who have won the most trophies and reached European finals, leading to a fierce rivalry between them.

Malmö FF's stadium is Eleda Stadion, located around 3km south of the city centre. It was opened in 2009, replacing the older Malmö Stadion—still the home ground for the city’s other club, IFK Malmö. With a seating capacity of approximately 22,500, it ranks as the fourth-biggest stadium in Sweden. The stadium is modern, featuring state-of-the-art facilities, and is often praised for its intimate atmosphere, particularly during major Allsvenskan and European matches.

Honours and European Experience

Malmö FF were first crowned Swedish champions in 1944, a triumph they have gone on to achieve 25 more times, with a total of 26 Allsvenskan titles. They comfortably secure their place as Sweden’s most successful club, with Göteborg second on 18 titles. They also lead their nation with 16 Svenska Cupen wins, most recently claiming this year’s cup.

Malmö FF have never been relegated to the second division and remain a dominant force in Swedish football. However, the club's most significant European achievement came in 1979, when they reached the final of the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League), finishing runners-up to Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis' other club Nottingham Forest.

In the Hot Seat

Malmö head coach, Henrik Rydström, is relatively unknown outside of Sweden due to spending his entire playing and coaching career to date in his home country. A midfielder by trade during his playing days, he spent most of his career at Kalmar, serving the club for 20 years.

It was at Kalmar that he started his coaching career, working his way through the different youth age grades until securing the assistant manager position. After a five-month spell in charge of the team on a caretaker basis, he left the club to take his first full-time managerial post at IK Sirius at the start of the 2019 season.

Following two seasons at Sirius, Rydström returned to Kalmar, guiding them to sixth and fourth place finishes in his two seasons. Earning respect for his impressive work with limited resources, he was given his big break ahead of the 2023 season—appointed by Malmö.

The Blues won the league in his first season, a marked improvement on the season before his arrival, when they finished seventh. With the season nearing its end in Sweden, Malmö need just a single draw from their final three games to make it back-to-back titles under their impressive new coach.

Route in Europe & Season-to-Date

Courtesy of winning the 2023 Allsvenskan, Malmö started their 2024-25 European campaign in the Champions League qualifiers.

Faroe Island side Klaksvik were their first opponents in the 2nd qualifying round. Malmö won 6-4 on aggregate, setting up a third round tie with PAOK. Another high-scoring tie saw the Swedes progress—drawing 2-2 at home and winning 3-4 in Thessaloniki. In the playoff round, they faced Sparta Prague, but the Czechs proved too strong, with Malmö losing both legs by two goals to nil.

Malmö, like Olympiacos, enter matchday three with a win and a loss from their opening two games. A disappointing 0-2 loss at home to Scottish side Rangers started their league phase. However, they made amends with a 1-2 victory over Qarabag in Azerbaijan in the following game.

Unlike the rest of Europe, Scandinavian leagues play a summer season to counter climate challenges. As a result, the Swedish season is drawing to a close. Malmö currently sit eight points clear at the top of the Allsvenskan table—with a +40 goal difference! With only three league games remaining, it would take a catastrophic collapse to deny them the title. A penalty shoot-out win over Djurgårdens in May secured the Svenska Cupen, putting them on course for a domestic double for the first time since 1989.

Players to Watch

As is common in Scandinavia, the Malmö squad is largely made up of players from the region. The squad has a balanced blend of experience and youth. Among their key players are Erik Botheim, Isaac Kiese Thelin, and Lasse Berg Johnsen, who have been instrumental in the team’s fine form in 2024:

Erik Botheim, a Norwegian striker, joined Malmö FF in 2023. Known for his finishing and aerial presence, Botheim made his name in Norway with Rosenborg and Bodø/Glimt. He broke through in his late teens at Rosenborg, contributing to their back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. A move to Bodø/Glimt in 2021 saw Botheim flourish, scoring 15 league goals and eight in Europe en route to another title. After brief stints at Krasnodar and Salernitana, Botheim joined Malmö, rediscovering his form in Sweden. So far this season, he has contributed to 18 goals, with 12 in the league, placing him third in the Allsvenskan top-scoring ranks. The 24-year-old is in fine form, scoring three goals in his last three outings.

Isaac Kiese Thelin leads Malmö in goalscoring this season. The experienced Swedish striker has 15 league goals and four more in the cup this season. Having returned to Malmö FF in 2022 after playing abroad for several years, including stints with Bayer Leverkusen and Anderlecht, Thelin brings vast experience and goal-scoring ability. Known for his strength, positioning, and hold-up play, Thelin has been crucial to Malmö’s domestic and European campaigns in recent years.

Lasse Berg Johnsen, a 25-year-old Norwegian midfielder, is Malmö’s key man in the middle of the park. He joined Malmö FF in 2023 after a successful spell at Randers in Denmark. His ability to control the game’s tempo and break up opposition attacks has made him a vital part of the team, providing balance and stability in both domestic and European fixtures. Berg Johnsen leads the team in assists, big chances created, and accurate passes. To have any chance of returning to Greece with a positive result on Thursday night, it will be essential for Olympiacos to keep Berg Johnsen quiet and prevent him from dictating the play from midfield.