Hibs boss Mixu casts eye over Elfsborg

HIBS boss Mixu Paatelainen today underlined the importance he's attaching to Sunday's InterToto Cup clash with IF Elfsborg by jetting out to take a last chance to see the Swedish side in action.

Although Paatelainen has insisted the InterToto campaign takes second place to the start of the new SPL season, he's also determined to see his side take the opportunity afforded by the competition to advance to the UEFA Cup itself.

Paatelainen is fully aware that will be a tough task with Elfsborg riding high in the Allsvenskan, beaten just once in 11 matches, but he's leaving nothing to chance.

Coach Gareth Evans has already prepared a dossier on the Swedes, having travelled to see them in Cup action against Halmstad, a game Elfsborg won in a penalty shoot-out.

Paatelainen turned his back on the chance to see Elfsborg play the second leg of their InterToto tie against HB Torshavn, having won the first game in the Faroe Islands 4-1, correctly predicting Swedish boss Magnus Haglund would field an under-strength side.

But tonight Elfsborg will be in action against eighth-placed Djurgardens in Stockholm as the Swedish League season, put in abeyance for a month to accommodate the national side's Euro 2008 bid, kicks back into action.

And Paatelainen fully expects to see Elfsborg at their best as they chase league leaders Kalmar.

He said: "They played a weakened side against Torshavn but this game is very important. It is a league match and I would expect them to play a full-strength side."

Paatelainen may have insisted on numerous occasions that his own team, currently in the second week of their pre-season training, won't be at their sharpest against a side midway through their season, but he refuted the suggestion he was "talking down" Sunday's match.

He said: "We want to win, no question about it, but I have to say no-one should think we will play fantastic football. I hope we do but the boys have been running hard and will be a bit tired.

"I've already said the SPL season is the most important thing to us but I wanted official competitive games because we'll get more out of them and our young squad will get some European experience which is invaluable.

"And, of course, there is the chance to qualify for the UEFA Cup."