Molde FK’s triumphs against the odds have provided some of the most compelling stories of the 2015-16 Europa League so far, writes Lee Roden.

With their last run in the competition ending in the qualifying stages, the safe bet was that the Norwegians would finish bottom this season after being drawn in an apparent group of death with Fenerbahçe, Ajax and Celtic.

Instead, they made a mockery of predictions, qualifying for the knockout stage with two games to spare after doing the double over the Scottish champions, drawing with Ajax and beating the Turks away. All in, they won three, drew two, and lost won of their six Group A games, the solitary defeat only coming after progression was already sealed.

For a team from one of Europe’s smaller leagues, getting out of the group stage so comfortably was already a major feat, but Molde have no intention of stopping now. The next goal is to squeeze through the last 32, and attacker Pape Pate Diouf insists they have a 50/50 chance of clearing that hurdle – provided they work hard.

It will take more than just hard graft to better their next rivals however. In what must have been something of a déjà vu moment, the knockout stage draw handed Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side the toughest hand possible, pairing them with the Europa League’s most successful club ever, Sevilla.

Playing the first leg away at the champions’ formidable Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán home will be a particularly big shock to the system: the Tippeligaen’s summer calendar means Molde haven’t taken part in a competitive game since December. Their last run out of any form, a friendly against IFK Göteborg, ended in a 2-1 defeat.

The Norwegians need to cross their fingers, arms and legs in the hope of another miracle against Sevilla therefore, and in an effort to pull it off, they have called upon someone who knows the Spanish club well. On February 12th, the Scandinavians pulled off a significant signing by their standards, when they managed to tie down former Barcelona and Chelsea man Eidur Gudjohnsen to a two-year contract.

Though 37 years old, the forward still has some quality left in his boots, as evidenced by his involvement in Iceland’s historic qualification for Euro 2016.

The Iceland international is old but that isn’t without its advantages, four major league titles and a Champions League win giving him a huge amount of experience that could be useful for his new club in their pursuit of the unthinkable. Most pertinently, he is well aware of the challenges that a trip to Sevilla brings, playing against them six times in for Barcelona.

Unai Emery’s side are currently in a golden period, and Gudjohnsen coincided with their last, facing them when Los Nervionenses were not only winning UEFA Cups but also challenging for the La Liga title under Juande Ramos. He never participated in a loss at the Andalucian side’s notoriously tricky home stadium, playing a part in two draws there and one 3-0 win.

That makes him a useful person to have around this week, and joining Molde is also useful for the player, particularly in terms of timing. After spells in Belgium and even a brief return to England, Gudjohnsen spent the second half of 2015 playing in China with Shijiazhuang Ever Bright. As a result, he hasn’t played since November.

With making the cut for Euro 2016 on his mind, the Iceland hopeful needs to ease his way back into competition in the right way, and Molde’s calendar is ideal in that regard. They will not be in league action until March, so the veteran can gradually find his competitive rhythm without the instant demands that joining a club with a traditionally structured season would create.

The only negative for Molde is that they won’t be able to call upon Gudjohnsen in a playing capacity on Thursday, his signing confirmed after the end of the Europa League’s winter registration period. Regardless, the game would likely have come too soon for an elder statesman who hasn’t kicked a ball in three months.

Gudjohnsen won’t be able to intervene in Sevilla first hand, but that isn’t to say his presence won’t be felt. When a player of his achievements arrives on the scene, others inevitably up their game – it would be difficult not to when your 37-year-old teammate still has the hunger to train hard in pursuit of a European Championship dream. That morale boost won’t necessarily be decisive against the kings of the Europa League, but it will help, and frankly, Molde need all the help they can get.