Jacob Neestrup

Cup final is our motivation – Neestrup

F.C. Copenhagen head coach Jacob Neestrup says reaching another Danish Cup final is all the motivation his squad needs heading into Wednesday's clash with Lyseng.

The Lions head to the Danish Third Division side this evening seeking safe passage to the fourth round.

FCK won the cup last term as part of a domestic double – and Neestrup is keen to repeat the feat.

"I expect us to progress against a team that we must obviously beat," says the boss.

"Our big motivation is to be in the cup final again, and as recently as yesterday we sat down and watched Diogo's lone goal from last season's final.

"It's a match that we really want to be in again, and give ourselves the opportunity to win the cup once more."

FCK's fixture schedule is tight this autumn, with the Lions also competing in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

However, Neestrup is keen to emphasise that every game is crucial to shaping the season.

"This is of course a different game than playing away to Brøndby or a Champions League game in Istanbul. And it is the biggest game for our opponents, and they will come with everything they can," he says.

"That's why it's important that we hit our level and take control of the match. There will be good opportunities to get a steady win and that's what it's all about."

Squad depth key to continuity
The head coach is also looking forward to fielding some players who may not have seen as many minutes on the pitch over the past few weeks. But the plan is still to maintain continuity within the team.

"We have a wide squad and it must of course be used, so it will be a mix (on Wednesday)," he adds. "It is important to remember that we at F.C. Copenhagen love to play competitive games, and we love to play every three or four days.

"We are in three tournaments, and we won this tournament last year. We would like to do that again."

Kick off in Aarhus is at 7:45pm tonight, and the match can be watched on TV3+ or Viaplay.