Preview: Sirius vs. AIK Fotboll - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors have recovered slightly from a dreadful start which saw them occupy the relegation zone for the first few months of the season.

Match preview

Seven points from their opening 12 games of the season left AIK in huge trouble, along with former title rivals Goteborg.

Form has improved of late, but they are still well below par for a club of such standing in Swedish football.

Andreas Brannstrom was dismissed despite a win at Brommapojkarna at the start of the month, just their second success of the season.

Henning Berg came in to replace him, and despite a defeat in his opening game against champions Hacken, the new boss has picked up four points since.

A win at Varberg was followed up by an encouraging draw with Malmo to move them out of the bottom three.

AIK are still tied on points with Degerfors in the relegation playoff spot, but they do have a game in hand, and should feel confident with results slowly but surely improving.

Sirius are going in the opposite direction though, having been very underwhelming since the international break in June.

A 3-0 win over Degerfors aside, Sirius have lost three games in July, conceding eight goals.

After a run of three successive wins just before the break, Christer Mattiasson's side have struggled since, as recent form has seen them slide down into 12th, three points above upcoming opponents AIK.

They are not ideal opposition to face while in a slump either, as Sirius have never beaten AIK in 14 previous competitive encounters.

Sirius Swedish Allsvenskan form:

W

W

L

L

W

L

AIK Fotboll Swedish Allsvenskan form:

D

L

W

L

W

D

Team News

Daniel Stensson was sent off in stoppage time against Mjallby and will be suspended for Sirius here.

Wessam Abou Ali has made a blistering start since joining from Danish side Vendsyssel, scoring two in his first two games after netting 14 at his former club last season.

Jamie Roche was left out of the squad for the defeat against Mjallby as he was completing a move to Swiss side Lausanne.

Filip Olsson and Andreas Murbeck are both absent with knee injuries, while Patrik Karlsson also remains sidelined.

Robin Tihi and Omar Faraj are AIK's only two injury absentees currently.

AIK's summer recruitment has helped improve their form though, as recent additions Dino Besirovic and Anton Saletros have both nailed down regular starting spots.

Right-back Mads Thychosen has made a remarkable impact too since arriving from Midtjylland, scoring in his first two matches for the club as well as keeping a clean sheet against Malmo.

Sirius possible starting lineup:

Tannander; J V Persson, Castegren, Jeng, Widgren; Bjarnason, Wikman, Matthews; J Persson, Abou Ali, Heier

AIK Fotboll possible starting lineup:

Nordfeldt; Thychosen, Milosevic, Papagiannopoulos, Haliti; Rui Modesto, Hussein, Saletros, Otieno; Magashy, Besirovic

We say: Sirius 1-2 AIK Fotboll

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