MALMO boss Age Hareide believes that being paired with Celtic is the perfect draw for the Swedish champions.

Despite struggling in mid-table as they attempt to retain the title, Malmo beat Salzburg 3-0 to go through on a 3-2 aggregate victory this week and set up a play-off tie with the Hoops.

Hareide was in charge of Helsingborgs when they lost out to Celtic in 2012, but feels confident that he can steer Malmo to success this month.

“It is absolutely perfect,” he told the official Malmo website after hearing the draw.

“I have faced Celtic once before in the play-off to the Champions League when I was coach of Helsingborgs.

“Then we had a bad time after we lost 0-2 in the home game. If only we can get a good starting position after the match in Scotland so we have good experience of doing a good result here in Malmo.

“It feels like their way of playing suits us very well and we have an eye on Celtic. I watched some of them last year and now we will be able to see them on Wednesday.”

Ronny Deila turned down an offer to manage Malmo in January last year, with fellow-Norwegian Hareide taking charge soon afterwards.

Tomorrow, Malmo are at home to league leaders IFK Gothenburg looking to eat into the seven-point gap between the two teams.

IFK, who have former Celt Thomas Rogne in defence, drew 0-0 at home with Belenenses of Portugal on Thursday night to exit the Europa League on a 2-1 aggregate.

Former Celt Jo Inge Berget is Malmo’s top scorer this season with seven goals from 14 league matches, while midfielders Enoch Adu and Markus Rosenborg will be suspended for the first leg in Glasgow on August 19.