This season covers the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. Following elimination from the Danish Cup in the fifth round, they finished second in the Danish Superliga and qualified for next season'sUEFA Conference League qualifiers.
Background and pre-season
The 2023–24 season is Brøndby's 43rd consecutive season in the top-division of the Danish football league. In the previous season, Brøndby had finished fifth, out of position to qualify for European football.[1]Jesper Sørensen serves as manager for a second season, having been appointed in early-2023 after former head coach Niels Frederiksen had been dismissed.[2][3]Kevin Mensah was the team's captain for a second season, after Andreas Maxsø's departure in January 2023.[4]
The team prepared for the new season with a number of friendly matches, including matchups against Swansea City and Crystal Palace.[13]
Season summary
July–December
Nicolai Vallys(pictured in 2022) started the season strongly, scoring six goals in eight appearances and earning a call-up to the Denmark national team.
Brøndby had a strong start to the Danish Superliga season, securing a 2–1 away win against Silkeborg on 23 July 2023.[14] Although they faced two subsequent losses, they rebounded with a remarkable five-game winning streak, conceding just one goal.[15] This streak elevated them to second place in the league standings. Notably, Nicolai Vallys made a significant impact in the attack, scoring six goals in the first eight games of the season and earning the Danish Superliga Player of the Month award for August and a call-up for the Denmark national team.[16][17]
Brøndby took on Copenhagen for the season's first Copenhagen Derby on 24 September, coming off the win streak. They could, however, not continue the win streak, despite dominating in the first half. Two late goals from Roony Bardghji sealed Copenhagen's 3–2 win.[18] Just three days later, Brøndby made a strong comeback in the Danish Cup, securing a 3–0 victory against HIK. They maintained their excellent form in the subsequent two games, with wins over Hvidovre and Viborg, which catapulted them to the top of the league table.[19] Brøndby concluded the fall season with a positive streak, remaining undefeated in eight games. Despite this, they drew half of these matches. As a result, by December 2023, they held the second position in the league table, trailing only behind Midtjylland.[20] Additionally, their journey in the Danish Cup came to an end in December, bowing out in the quarter-finals with a 3–2 aggregate loss to AGF, despite securing a 2–1 home win in the second leg.[21]
Brøndby began 2024 with two league wins, with Patrick Pentz achieving clean sheets in 1–0 and 3–0 victories against Midtjylland and OB, including a penalty save in the former.[26][27] A 1–1 draw against Vejle was followed by two more wins, finishing the regular season in second place and qualifying for the championship round.[28][29] A last-minute goal by Sean Klaiber, assisted by Jacob Rasmussen, secured a 2–1 away win over Copenhagen on the first matchday of the championship round, putting Brøndby in first place.[30] After draws against AGF and Silkeborg, they achieved a crucial win over Midtjylland with a 2–1 victory thanks to two goals from Yuito Suzuki.[31]
Despite another Suzuki goal in a draw against Nordsjælland, Brøndby lost ground in the title race on 5 May with a 3–2 away defeat to Midtjylland, their first loss in 19 league games.[32] This was followed by another defeat on 12 May at home to Copenhagen, dropping Brøndby from first to fourth.[33] They bounced back with wins against Nordsjælland and Silkeborg, putting them in a position to secure the league title on the final day, leading Midtjylland by goal difference.[34] However, a 3–2 home loss to AGF and Midtjylland's 3–3 draw with Silkeborg meant Brøndby finished their 2023–24 Danish Superliga campaign in second place, one point behind champions Midtjylland.[35]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Source: Danish Football Association(in Danish), Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Play-off (played on neutral ground if determining teams for different rounds); 6) Draw.
^ ab"Farvel til Simon Hedlund". Brøndby IF (Press release) (in Danish). 20 August 2023. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
^"Farvel til Joe Bell". Brøndby IF (Press release) (in Danish). 29 August 2023. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
^"Justin Che udlejes". Brøndby IF (Press release) (in Danish). 17 August 2023. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
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