Celtic vs AIK: Swedish football journalist tells us all we need to know about the Hoops opponents
Oliver Birch 
Marcus Ericsson/Ombrello/Getty Images Sport
Celtic host the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie with AIK on Thursday looking to restore some faith and optimism to the club following the shock Champions League exit to CFR Cluj.
Ahead of the tie, we spoke to Swedish football journalist Noa Bachner, who gave us an insight into what we can expect to see from AIK across both legs.
Question: Who is AIK’s biggest threat?
Answer: It’s difficult to say right now, but I’d pick Henok Goitom, Tarik Elyounoussi (suspended for the first leg) and Nabil Bahoui. Bahoui is however not in full match condition after just re-signing from Grasshoppers, but has the most ability of the offensive players. Chinedu Obasi on his day is a handful.
Where can Celtic exploit AIK?
Defensively AIK har normally very solid, and they’re used to defending low. Pressing them high and not allowing them to rest on the ball is probably when they look the most uncomfortable. They’ve had some changes at the back recently, but I can’t really say any area where they are seriously weak. Obviously Celtic’s individual abilities are expected to be better, so that could mean things for AIK’s system.
How do AIK normally play?
They set up in a 3-5-2 with a holding midfielder and two central midfielders ahead of that player (Adu). You’ll find them to be quite calm and passive, but defensively very well structured. Their focal point in attack is usually Goitom, supported by the other striker and at least one of the central midfielders (Sebastian Larsson often goes deep) with the wing-backs usually taking turns to attack the wide spaces.
What are the AIK supporters expecting? Have they raised their expectations after CFR Cluj’s win?
I think most of them are well aware of the fact that AIK go into this as underdogs, but of course there’s this simple reason for optimism considering how Celtic performed against Cluj. Looking at the Celtic team, I think most people will feel as if there has been stronger line-ups in the past few years.
How much would victory mean for AIK?
Financially, a great deal. The prize money for qualifying is a lot for Swedish clubs, but also emotionally as they haven’t played in a European group stage since 2012.
How much of a blow is Elyounoussi’s suspension for the first leg?
It’s quite a big blow. He’s very versatile, experienced and their top scorer this season, so it’ll mean a bit for them to lose him.
And finally, how do you expect AIK to do?
They’ve performed well in Europe under Rikard Norling, I think. So I’d guess they have good plan for this and could frustrate Celtic. Still, I’d say 2-1 Celtic in the first leg.
