FC Midtjylland's sporting director Kristian Bach Bak has already sought advice from his former boss ahead of the club's next European match. Former FCM manager Jess Thorup, now in charge of KRC Genk, revealed that Bak called him regarding the upcoming fixture against St. Truiden.

"The current sporting director, Kristian Bach Bak, was my assistant back then," said Thorup. "Do I expect a call from him about St. Truiden?

The call comes as FC Midtjylland face a key turning point in the Conference League. The team suffered a defeat to Egnatia in the competition's first match and are now seeking their first win when they host Belgian side St. Truiden at MCH Arena on Thursday at 21:00. The match will be broadcast on Disney+.

Thorup, who learned a great deal during his time in Herning, has a close relationship with the club and its structure. Bak served as his assistant, and their collaboration is part of the data-driven culture instilled by owner Matthew Benham. Benham took over Brentford a year before FC Midtjylland won the Danish championship in 2018, with investments in the academy and data-led recruitment being central pillars.

Domestic form is strong

Ahead of the European fixture, FC Midtjylland have plenty of confidence from domestic action. The team sits in a strong second place in the Superliga with 25 points from 11 games, with a record of seven wins and four draws. The latest victory came against Viborg, where Philip Billing scored the winner in a 2-1 result. It was the team's third win in their last five league matches, remaining unbeaten with a form of WDWDW. This run also includes a 2-1 win over FC Copenhagen and a 4-1 victory against Brondby. In total, the team has scored 21 goals and conceded 11 in the league.

The next league challenge is a home match against Lyngby on Saturday 25 October. Before that, European success must be secured. Cho Gue-Sung scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Egnatia, and the club hopes for a more decisive performance this time.

The squad will have to manage without several players, however, including Viktor Bak and Marko Erlic, who are both on the injury list. In addition, M. Gogorza, M. Jensen, Junior Brumado and E. Olafsson are also sidelined. The attack is led by Francis Etim, who with five goals is the club's top scorer this season. The match against St. Truiden will be decided on Thursday night at MCH Arena.

The report in full is at campo.dk