Motherwell

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Last season's Europa League finalists Freiburg are probably the last team Motherwell wanted to see being picked out the pot in Monday's Conference League play-off draw.

The Fir Park side have to defeat HJK Helsinki first, but whoever wins between they and the Finns will be underdogs to progress to the league stage.

Alfred Johansson's side did avoid Atalanta of Italy and the winner of the tie between Greek side Panathinaikos and Bulgaria's CSKA.

And, with Austria's Rapid Vienna likely to progress against Paide Linnameeskond of Estonia and St Gallen of Switzerland probably favourites against Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova, there was unlikely to be an easy tie.

But Freiburg showed their pedigree in only their seventh European campaign as they finished seventh in the Europa League before beating Genk, Celta Vigo and Braga to reach the final, where they lost 3-0 to a John McGinn-inspired Aston Villa.

Former Freiburg midfielder Julian Schuster's side qualified directly to the Conference League play-off round this season courtesy of their seventh-place finish in the Bundesliga.

There are not many household names in his squad, but centre-backs Matthias Ginter, formerly of Borussia Dortmund, and Philipp Lienhart have caps for Germany and Austria respectively.

Goalkeeper Mio Backhaus has, though, been signed for a reported £10.3m from Werder Bremen and striker Keisuke Goto from Anderlecht for £8.6m - the kind of transfer fees Motherwell can only dream of.

Meanwhile, Thursday's opponents, HJK, are in action on Monday against SJK in the Veikkausliiga, where they sit fourth after 18 games, as they seek a fifth consecutive win after beating Northern Ireland's Coleraine 3-0 on Thursday for an 8-0 aggregate score.

We asked for your views after Motherwell snatched a dramatic opening-day Scottish Premiership win at Hibernian on Sunday.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Mark: An excellent result on our opening league match. Had to dig in during the second half but we dealt with everything they threw at us. Martin Moorman in particular was outstanding in defence. Once we sort out the few mistakes at the back we'll be as close to last season as we can be. Promising times ahead!

Ross: We'd already seen hints that Alfred Johansson was going to continue Jens Berthel Askou's brilliant work of last season, and today's performance and result reinforces that. It's very encouraging! Now please let's keep going in Europe and really build some strong momentum.

George: The manager has successfully maintained a great team spirit and we showed a willingness to fight for the points. Moorman was outstanding in defence once again and could turn out to be our best signing this season.

James: Not our best performance, but a great result. Gave the ball away too much, and should have had the game wrapped up before they scored. But we will take it, and the winner was phenomenal

Stuart: A really good result, especially when you think of our European trip. Although we had to ride a bit of a storm, we could have easily been two up before Hibs scored.

Motherwell have been given another tough potential tie should they defeat Finland's HJK Helsinki after being drawn against last season's Europa League finalists Freiburg in the Conference League play-offs.

Alfred Johansson's side will play the first leg at home on 20 August should they progress, with the return the following Thursday.

What do you think of the draw and how do you rate Motherwell's chances of reaching the league stage?

Give us your thoughts.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Lukas Fadinger hailed Motherwell's "amazing" winning goal against Hibernian as an example that they are sticking close to last season's successful template despite a change in management.

The midfielder had slotted the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in their first game of the new Scottish Premiership season before watching admiringly as Ibrahim Said restored the advantage to finish off a sweeping counter-attack.

"I think the second goal was amazing," the 25-year-old Austrian told BBC Scotland. "There's always the belief because I know how we performed last year.

"We had so many changes. A lot of key players left us, new players came in.

"I think, all in all, we are really pleased with the performance and I'm really proud of the whole team."

Jens Berthel Askou moved to Toulouse this summer after leading Motherwell to a fourth-place finish, with Alfred Johansson his replacement.

"I think we stick to our principles and it's not a real quick change," Fadinger suggested.

"I think we did really well. The way we play, the style we play, it's not a big difference from last year."

Having eased to a 5-0 aggregate win over HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands, Fadinger expects a tougher challenge when Motherwell next visit HJK Helsinki in Conference League qualifying on Thursday.

"I think all the Scandinavians are really good on the ball," he added. I think they will be good as well.

"It will be a tough battle again, but I think we have really good chances to compete. For sure. They are for sure better."

Watch Sportscene highlights from Easter Road as Ibrahim Said's late goal secures Motherwell's win over Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.

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Motherwell continued their impressive start to life under manager Alfred Johansson as Ibrahim Said's superb goal secured a narrow Scottish Premiership victory at Hibernian.

Read the match report here.

Have your say on the result here.

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Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson tells BBC Scotland: "It was a game of ups and downs for both teams and obviously I'm really pleased to come out with the three points.

"In the first half we showed some good stuff on the ball, but more than tactics we have to praise the spirit of the team because at time we had to ride out storms.

"We have Martin Moormann throwing himself to make blocks, the front three dropping deep to help and Paulsen making exceptional saves.

"We did that with eight players making their debut in the Premiership. It shows we have the right characters in the door.

"When we hit it off, the good periods look really good, but we want those periods to be longer, but even months from now when we are better we will have to suffer and the guys showed they are ready to do that."

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Motherwell's Regan Charles-Cook says "pressure makes diamonds" as he and his team-mates attempt to live up to their reputation earned last season.

The Fir Park side caused a stir under Jens Berthel Askou with their free-flowing style of football which secured so many plaudits as well as a European spot.

Now under Alfred Johansson and with a host of star players now away from the club, they breezed by HB Torshavn in Conference League qualifying and now face Hibernian in their Scottish Premiership opener on Sunday (16:30 BST).

"The group was so together, it still feels the same. It feels like a family," said Charles-Cook, who scored in the Faroe Islands on Thursday.

"It's going to be difficult but we just focus on what Motherwell wants to do.

"It's a journey. We understand there will be pressure, everyone expects us to go and do the same thing we did last year. And that shows that we have been doing very well.

"Pressure makes diamonds, you know? We look forward to the challenge."

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After Alfred Johansson began his Motherwell reign with a 5-0 aggregate win over HB Torshavn, the Swedish manager said he wants his side to be "super ambitious".

The new gaffer had big shoes to fill in replacing the Toulouse-bound Jens Berthel Askou, but has gotten off to a near perfect start.

"We are going to be super ambitious," Johansson said. "Our recipe for success, our way of going about being super ambitious, is that we want to consolidate the style of play from last season.

"And as soon as we get it consolidated with all the new players that have come in and others that will come, as soon as we are back to the state we want, we are going to try to evolve it, everyone together.

"We need to develop players in the squad. These are the two big, big targets.

"And the last one is we want to win the first game of the season. I always have a really narrow, short-term focus in terms of performance so it's the game against Hibs on Sunday which is the biggest target of the season as of now."

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Hibs could have Callum Wright and Ante Suto back in the squad after injury but Nicky Cadden and Jamie McGrath (both calf) are set to remain sidelined, along with Rocky Bushiri (Achilles).

Motherwell have added new loan signings Alex Lowry and Jamie Knight-Lebel while Tawanda Maswanhise was back in action on Thursday with a mask protecting his fractured jaw.

Johnny Koutroumbis (hand), Eythor Bjorgolfsson are pushing for comebacks while Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (calf) remains out along with Jordan McGhee (hamstring), Paul McGinn, Callum Hendry and Stephen O'Donnell (all knee).

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Motherwell have been granted planning permission for a brand-new two-storey training facility building and a new synthetic surface on the site of their current training ground.

The club currently train at rented facilities at Dalziel Park, and will use funds generated from recent player sales along with the SFA's 'Pitching In' Fund to build the new centre.

The new base will include "state-of-the-art changing rooms, a gym, a medical room, staff offices, an analysis suite, meeting rooms and a canteen" and will "provide a high-quality training centre for our professional players and staff."

"This is a hugely exciting project for the football club," said club Chief Executive Brian Caldwell.

"As a board, we believe this project meets a need to further improve the club's training facility that is of great benefit both to the club and to our local community.

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Motherwell have signed Canada defender Jamie Knight-Lebel on loan from Bristol City.

The 21-year-old has spent the past two seasons on temporary deals with Crewe Alexandra and then Swindon Town.

"I want to welcome Jamie to the club," Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson said.

"He is a talented young player who has two very strong seasons out on loan playing regularly. A physical and strong defender, he will provide competition in the defensive positions and bring international experience.

"Bristol City rate him highly, and this loan move will provide him with the opportunity to play in a style suited to his game. We look forward to introducing Jamie to the squad, and I'm excited to be working with him."

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Motherwell have submitted an appeal against a £5000 fine from the Scottish FA for a social media post criticising the decision to award Celtic a stoppage-time penalty at Fir Park in May.

On what was the penultimate round of Premiership fixtures, Kelechi Iheanacho converted from the spot for a 3-2 victory after Sam Nicholson was penalised for handball.

Motherwell released a video with the caption: "As the world of football mocks our game, we simply have to draw a line in the sand and shift the focus."

On 16 July, a disciplinary tribunal of the SFA imposed the fine, along with issuing a four-game suspension for now departed Motherwell player Elliot Watt, who described the penalty award as "the worst VAR decision in history" via X.

Rangers manager Derek McInnes, then in charge of Hearts, was given a four-game touchline ban for his comments on the same matter during a television interview.

The Ibrox club immediately announced their intention to contest the punishment.

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Newcomers to Motherwell need to bring an intensity, says manager Alfred Johansson, as the club close in on more new recruits.

The Fir Park squad are going through a transition after losing star man Elijah Just, fellow midfielders Callum Slattery and Elliot Watt, and goalkeeper Calum Ward.

Those who have already been brought in have hit the ground running as Motherwell sailed past HB Torshavn on Thursday in Conference League qualifying.

But, when asked about transfer news on Friday, manager Johansson said: "We're close to bringing in a player or two.

"The players that we want to bring have to be along the same lines of the recruitments the last couple of years, which is players that fit the style of play at the club, that fit the way we want to behave and treat people here at the club.

"So players that come in, they need to fit into that, obviously. We are a team that we treat each other really well with respect and we care for each other. So people that come here, they need to fit into that.

They need to be intense in how they play their football. They need to be able to sprint for the team. They need to be able to work hard for the team."

Motherwell kick off their Scottish Premiership campaign on Sunday away to Hibernian (16:30 BST), and Johansson added: "A massive task for us, really exciting, really excited to go there and try to bring more good memories, like last year, like the players and all the people did.

"So we're going to do our best, knowing that it's a long season, of course, but we really look forward already to Sunday."

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Scottish Premiership opener at Hibernian.

Here are the key lines:

• The club are closing in on bringing in a "player or two".

• The Swede wants to consolidate the style of play established last year under Jens Berthel Askou this season "in a moment of change", with slight differences.

• He believes HJK Helsinki will offer a tougher test in Conference League qualifying than HB did in Well's 5-0 aggregate win, but remains focused on Hibs.

• The Fir Park boss is pleased Tawanda Maswanhise returned in the Faroes for some minutes after suffering a jaw injury, with the striker now catching up on his fitness.

• Johansson believes the team coped well without Maswanhise in attack despite him having an "X-Factor".

• No team news on who may return for Sunday's match with players being assessed day by day.

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We asked for your views after Motherwell won 3-0 away to HB to complete a 5-0 aggregate win and set up a Conference League third-round qualifier against HJK Helsinki.

Here are some of your comments:

James: Terrific performance by all the Motherwell players. A deserved victory, let's keep up the tempo for the season ahead.

Gilbert: What a brilliant result, now on to Helsinki.

James: Another impressive performance. Some great one-touch stuff, should have scored more, again Lukas Fadinger and Oscar Priestman ran the show. Emmanuel Longelo again looking sharp, hope to have some more experience back soon. COYW.

David: Let's not get too carried away just get, but a double clean sheet and aggregate five-goal victory is not to be sniffed at. Need some additional prowess up front but pat on the back to all at Fir Park so far.

Jim: Impressive start by Alfred Johansson given he has had to contend with injuries, loss of key players, and bedding in new signings. No secret Well fans were concerned before this tie, but last year at this time we were drawing with Clyde and sneaking past Peterhead. Not perfect and very much a work in progress but really optimistic for the season ahead.

Ally: Ibrahim Said looked unbelievable in new role. Played like a prime Messi. Hope he continues form against more tougher opposition

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• This will be Alfred Johansson's first league game in charge of Motherwell. Just two of the Steelmen's last seven managers (including caretakers) have won their first league match (losing three of them), Steven Hammell beating St Mirren 1-0 in July 2022 and Stuart Kettlewell beating the same side 2-1 in February 2023.

• Motherwell have only won their league opener in one of the last nine seasons (losing four times), beating St Mirren 1-0 in 2022-23.

• Hibernian have won their opening game in seven of the last nine Scottish Premiership seasons (losing the other two), although they have lost on the opening day in two of the last three.

• Motherwell won away to Hibs 1-0 on the final day of last season. The Steelmen are therefore looking to successive away league wins over Hibs for the first time since August 2013 – when the second win was on the opening day of the season.

• Hibs have won three of the last four occasions they have faced Motherwell on the opening day of a league season (losing the other), including both of the last two: 3-0 in 2018-19, and 3-2 in 2021-22.