# 2018–19 AaB Fodbold season

The 2018–19 season was AaB's 36th consecutive season in the top flight of Danish football, 29th consecutive season in the Danish Superliga, and 133rd year in existence as a football club.

## Club
### Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Head coach | Morten Wieghorst (sacked on 26 November 2018) Jacob Friis (from 26 November 2018) |
| Assistant coaches | Jacob Friis (until 26 November 2018) Thomas Augustinussen (until 31 December 2018) Allan K. Jepsen (from 1 January 2019) Lasse Stensgaard (from 1 January 2019) |
| Development manager | Poul Erik Andreasen |
| Goalkeeping coach | Poul Buus |
| Analyst | Jim Holm Larsen |
| Team Leader | Ernst Damborg |
| Doctor | Søren Kaalund |
| Physiotherapist | Morten Skjoldager |
| Physical trainer | Ashley Tootle |
| U/19 League coach | Lasse Stensgaard (until 31 December 2018) David Olsen (from 1 January 2019) |
| U/17 League coach | David Olsen (until 31 December 2018) Nikolaj Hørby (from 1 January 2019) |
Source: AaB Fodbold

### Other information

| Owner | AaB A/S |
| Chief executive | Thomas Bælum |
| Sports director | Allan Gaarde |
| Sales manager | Lotte Hedegaard |
| Head of press and communications | Brian Andersen |
| Head of experience | Martin Stigaard Skammelsen |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | Nordjyske Arena (13,997 / 105x70 metres) |
| Training ground | AaB Training Ground |
Source: AaB Fodbold

## Squad
### First team squad

This squad list includes any first team squad player who was available for the line-up during the season.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | SWE | Jacob Rinne |
| 2 | DF | DEN | Patrick Kristensen |
| 3 | DF | DEN | Jakob Ahlmann |
| 4 | DF | DEN | Jakob Blåbjerg |
| 5 | DF | DEN | Jores Okore |
| 6 | DF | DEN | Kristoffer Pallesen |
| 7 | MF | DEN | Oliver Abildgaard |
| 8 | MF | DEN | Rasmus Würtz (captain) |
| 9 | FW | DEN | Jannik Pohl (until 29 August 2018) |
| 9 | FW | NED | Tom van Weert (from 29 August 2018) |
| 10 | MF | PER | Edison Flores (until 28 August 2018) |
| 10 | MF | DEN | Lucas Andersen (from 30 August 2018) |
| 11 | FW | GER | Philipp Ochs (from 9 August 2018) |
| 14 | FW | SVK | Pavol Šafranko (until 10 August 2018) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | DEN | Magnus Christensen |
| 17 | MF | DEN | Kasper Kusk |
| 18 | MF | DEN | Rasmus Thellufsen |
| 19 | FW | DEN | Marco Ramkilde |
| 21 | MF | DEN | Kasper Risgård (vice-captain) |
| 22 | GK | USA | Michael Lansing |
| 23 | MF | SVK | Filip Lesniak |
| 24 | DF | DEN | Nikolaj Lyngø (until 3 August 2018) |
| 24 | DF | DEN | Mathias Ross (from 9 October 2018) |
| 25 | MF | DEN | Frederik Børsting |
| 26 | MF | UGA | Robert Kakeeto (until 31 August 2018, from 1 January 2019) |
| 30 | FW | DEN | Wessam Abou Ali |
| 32 | DF | DEN | Kasper Pedersen |
| 33 | DF | ALB | Bardhec Bytyqi (until 24 January 2019) |
Source: AaB Fodbold website

### Youth players in use

This list includes any youth player from AaB Academy who was used in the season.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | DF | DEN | Lukas Klitten (from AaB U19) |
| 20 | MF | DEN | Oliver Klitten (from AaB U19) |
| 24 | DF | DEN | Mathias Ross (from AaB U19, promoted to first team squad on 9 October 2018) |
| 29 | FW | DEN | Mikkel Kaufmann (from AaB U19) |

## Transfers and loans
### In
#### Summer

| Squad # | Position | Player | Transferred from | Date | Source |
| 9 | DF | Tom van Weert | FC Groningen | 29 August 2018 | |
| 24 | FW | Mathias Ross | AaB Academy | 9 October 2018 | |

#### Winter

| Squad # | Position | Player | Transferred from | Date | Source |

### Out
#### Summer

| Squad # | Position | Player | Transferred to | Date |
| 31 | DF | Mathias Andersen | Vejgaard BK | 1 July 2018 |
| 10 | MF | Edison Flores | Monarcas Morelia | 28 August 2018 |
| 9 | FW | Jannik Pohl | FC Groningen | 29 August 2018 |

#### Winter

| Squad # | Position | Player | Transferred to | Date | Source |
| 24 | DF | Nikolaj Lyngø | Hartford Athletic | 1 January 2019 | |

### Loan in

| Squad # | Position | Player | Loaned from | Start | End | Source |
| 11 | FW | Philipp Ochs | TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | 9 August 2018 | 30 June 2019 | |
| 10 | FW | Lucas Andersen | Grasshoppers | 30 August 2018 | 30 June 2019 | |

### Loan out

| Squad # | Position | Player | Loaned to | Start | End |
| 24 | DF | Nikolaj Lyngø | Jammerbugt FC | 3 August 2018 | 31 December 2018 |
| 14 | FW | Pavol Šafranko | Dundee United | 10 August 2018 | 30 June 2019 |
| 26 | MF | Robert Kakeeto | Jammerbugt FC | 31 August 2018 | 31 December 2018 |
| 33 | DF | Bardhec Bytyqi | Jammerbugt FC | 24 January 2019 | 30 June 2019 |

## Competitions
### Competition record

| Competition | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Superliga | 34 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 44 | 44 | +0 | 029.41 |
| Sydbank Pokalen | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 075.00 |
| Total | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 53 | 46 | +7 | 034.21 |

### Superliga
#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 12 May 2019. Source: Competitive matches

#### Regular season

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 5 | Esbjerg | 26 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 32 | 35 | −3 | 38 | Qualification for the Championship round |
| 6 | Nordsjælland | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 36 | Qualification for the Championship round |
| 7 | AaB | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 38 | 35 | +3 | 36 | Qualification for the Relegation round |
| 8 | Randers | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 34 | −5 | 34 | Qualification for the Relegation round |
| 9 | AGF | 26 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 31 | 34 | −3 | 31 | Qualification for the Relegation round |

##### Matches
#### Relegation round

Points and goals will carry over in full from the regular season.
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | RAN | AAB | VEN | HOB |
| 1 | Randers | 32 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 35 | 39 | −4 | 45 | Qualification for the European play-off quarter-finals | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| 2 | AaB | 32 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 44 | 41 | +3 | 42 | Qualification for the European play-off quarter-finals | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| 3 | Vendsyssel (R) | 32 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 32 | 49 | −17 | 29 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | 3–3 |
| 4 | Hobro (O) | 32 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 31 | 55 | −24 | 27 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — |

##### Matches
#### European play-offs
##### Quarter-finals
### Sydbank Pokalen
## Statistics
### Appearances

    As of 12 May 2019
This includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by shirt number when appearances are equal.
| Rnk | Pos | No. | Player | Superliga | Sydbank Pokalen | Total |
| 1 | GK | 1 | Jacob Rinne | 34 | 2 | 36 |
| 1 | MF | 17 | Kasper Kusk | 33 | 3 | 36 |
| 3 | MF | 18 | Rasmus Thellufsen | 31 | 4 | 35 |
| 4 | DF | 5 | Jores Okore | 31 | 2 | 33 |
| 5 | MF | 21 | Kasper Risgård | 29 | 3 | 32 |
| 6 | MF | 16 | Magnus Christensen | 27 | 2 | 29 |
| 7 | FW | 9 | Tom van Weert | 25 | 3 | 28 |
| 8 | DF | 3 | Jakob Ahlmann | 25 | 2 | 27 |
| 8 | MF | 10 | Lucas Andersen | 23 | 4 | 27 |
| 8 | MF | 7 | Oliver Abildgaard | 25 | 2 | 27 |
| 11 | DF | 32 | Kasper Pedersen | 22 | 4 | 26 |
| 12 | MF | 25 | Frederik Børsting | 23 | 2 | 25 |
| 13 | FW | 11 | Philipp Ochs | 20 | 4 | 24 |
| 14 | FW | 30 | Wessam Abou Ali | 22 | 1 | 23 |
| 15 | DF | 6 | Kristoffer Pallesen | 18 | 3 | 21 |
| 15 | MF | 8 | Rasmus Würtz | 18 | 3 | 21 |
| 17 | DF | 4 | Jakob Blåbjerg | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| 18 | DF | 2 | Patrick Kristensen | 14 | 1 | 15 |
| 19 | MF | 23 | Filip Lesniak | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| 19 | DF | 24 | Mathias Ross | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| 21 | FW | 29 | Mikkel Kaufmann | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 22 | FW | 9 | Jannik Pohl | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | DF | 15 | Lukas Klitten | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 23 | MF | 20 | Oliver Klitten | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 25 | FW | 14 | Pavol Šafranko | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 25 | GK | 22 | Michael Lansing | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 25 | DF | 33 | Bardhec Bytyqi | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 | MF | 26 | Robert Kakeeto | 1 | 0 | 1 |

### Goalscorers

    As of 12 May 2019
This includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by shirt number when total goals are equal.
| Rnk | Pos | No. | Player | Superliga | Sydbank Pokalen | Total |
| 1 | FW | 9 | Tom van Weert | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| 2 | MF | 10 | Lucas Andersen | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | MF | 17 | Kasper Kusk | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | MF | 21 | Kasper Risgård | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | MF | 18 | Rasmus Thellufsen | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | DF | 32 | Kasper Pedersen | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | FW | 30 | Wessam Abou Ali | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 8 | MF | 16 | Magnus Christensen | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | DF | 2 | Patrick Kristensen | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | MF | 7 | Oliver Abildgaard | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | 9 | Jannik Pohl | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | 11 | Philipp Ochs | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | MF | 25 | Frederik Børsting | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | 29 | Mikkel Kaufmann | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| — | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | 44 | 9 | 53 |

### Assists

    As of 12 May 2018
This includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by shirt number when total assists are equal.
| Rnk | Pos | No. | Player | Superliga | Sydbank Pokalen | Total |
| 1 | MF | 17 | Kasper Kusk | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| 2 | MF | 18 | Rasmus Thellufsen | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | MF | 10 | Lucas Andersen | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | DF | 3 | Jakob Ahlmann | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | MF | 25 | Frederik Børsting | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | FW | 30 | Wessam Abou Ali | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | DF | 6 | Kristoffer Pallesen | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | 8 | Rasmus Würtz | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | 9 | Jannik Pohl | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | 9 | Tom van Weert | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | 11 | Philipp Ochs | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | DF | 15 | Lukas Klitten | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | 16 | Magnus Christensen | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | 23 | Filip Lesniak | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | DF | 32 | Kasper Pedersen | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | 25 | 7 | 32 |

### Clean sheets

    As of 12 May 2018
This includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by shirt number when total clean sheets are equal.
| Rnk | Pos | No. | Player | Superliga | Sydbank Pokalen | Total |
| 1 | GK | 1 | Jacob Rinne | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | GK | 22 | Michael Lansing | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | 7 | 2 | 9 |

### Disciplinary record

    As of 12 May 2018
This includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by shirt number when total cards are equal.
| Rnk | Pos. | No. | Player | Superliga | Superliga | Sydbank Pokalen | Sydbank Pokalen | Total | Total |
| 1 | DF | 5 | Jores Okore | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 2 | FW | 11 | Philipp Ochs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | MF | 7 | Oliver Abildgaard | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 3 | MF | 25 | Frederik Børsting | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | 10 | Lucas Andersen | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | 3 | Jakob Ahlmann | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | 9 | Tom van Weert | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | 16 | Magnus Christensen | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | 18 | Rasmus Thellufsen | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | 8 | Rasmus Würtz | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | 17 | Kasper Kusk | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | 21 | Kasper Risgård | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | 4 | Jakob Blåbjerg | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | 24 | Mathias Ross | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | FW | 30 | Wessam Abou Ali | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | 32 | Kasper Pedersen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | GK | 1 | Jacob Rinne | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | 6 | Kristoffer Pallesen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | 23 | Filip Lesniak | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | 29 | Mikkel Kaufmann | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | 64 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 67 | 3 |

#### Notes

* Note 1: Jores Okore was sent off against AGF on 21 October 2018. However, the referee and the Superliga Disciplinary Board later withdrew the red card, leaving Okore not being suspended for the upcoming matches. In this statistic, though, the red is still counted in.

### Suspensions

    As of 12 May 2018
This includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by shirt number when total matches suspended are equal.
| Rnk | Pos | No. | Player | Superliga | Sydbank Pokalen | Total |
| 1 | DF | 5 | Jores Okore | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1 | MF | 7 | Oliver Abildgaard | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1 | MF | 25 | Frederik Børsting | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | DF | 3 | Jakob Ahlmann | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | 10 | Lucas Andersen | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | FW | 11 | Philipp Ochs | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | 16 | Magnus Christensen | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | 26 | Robert Kakeeto | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | 11 | 0 | 11 |

## Awards
### Team

| Award | Month | Source |

### Individual

| No. | Player | Award | Month | Source |