Svensson expecting different match in Belgrade compared to Braga

Bo Svensson says his F.C. Copenhagen players are preparing for a different type of game to the one that unfolded against Braga last week when the Lions face Crvena Zvezda in the UEFA Conference League tonight.

A 3-0 victory in Parken against Portuguese side Braga seven days ago got FCK off to the perfect start in the league phase.

Now the squad are in Belgrade looking to make it two wins from two – and head coach Svensson is looking forward to the challenge.

"We played a good match against Braga and had a solid defence, so naturally there are things we can take with us from that game. However, I don’t believe this match will be the same," he says.

"These are two different opponents, and there is also a distinction between playing in front of our own fans in Parken versus playing here – in a unique stadium steeped in history, in front of very passionate fans.

"Furthermore, the Serbians play a different style of football. They have different players with different qualities, so we will have to contend with different challenges tomorrow. We have, of course, studied their style of play closely. I also know their coach (Albert Riera) a bit from the Bundesliga – while he perhaps didn't enjoy much success during his stint in Frankfurt this spring, he did find success at his previous clubs.

"Red Star are a big club with high expectations, so we can expect to be under pressure – both on and off the pitch. They lost their opening match to Lugano – a disappointing result for them – so they are under pressure regarding the standings.

"There are only six matches in this league format, rather than eight in the others (Champions League and Europa League). Consequently, they need a win, and we are prepared for that intent to be evident right from the opening whistle. A major challenge awaits us tomorrow."

Thapelo Maseko, who sustained an injury last Sunday, will be unavailable, as will Alex Král. Addressing his plans, Svensson said: "First and foremost, it’s about a team performance and a shared understanding of how we want to play – both with and without the ball – across the various phases of the game.

"Alex has just returned from international duty with the Czech Republic, where he played 75 minutes against Spain and 90 minutes against England. He also played nearly full matches in all three of our games last week.

"We weren't able to manage his workload in the same way as we could for those who weren't away with their national teams, so we decided it was best to give him a rest now to keep him fresh for the schedule ahead."