Motherwell

Lukas Fadinger has penned a 12-month extension at Motherwell, keeping him at the club until 2028. The Austrian signed from SCR Altach in the summer of 2025, and quickly established himself as a crucial cog in Jens Berthel Askou’s midfield. Featuring 43 times for the Fir Park side, Fadinger scored five goals last season, manager Askou regarded Lukas Fadinger’s story as a “wonderful one” whilst speaking on Motherwell’s website “Being signed by Michael Wimmer, there might have been more questions around his role than answers when he arrived to a team led by a different manager. However, that didn’t seem to bother him, and he very quickly turned into one of the most consistent and dependable performers in the team this season. “His wonderful calm and including personality has been an equally important asset to the dressing room. It is, therefore, great news for the club that he has extended his stay with us for another year.” Fadinger expressed his own delight at penning a further year for the Steelmen and has “loved every minute” of the season. “The fans, players, staff and everyone involved with the club have been so supportive of me, and we’ve had a great season together. I’m excited to extend my contract at this fantastic club, and I think we’re all looking forward to the European journey next season. Hopefully, we can have lots more success as a team next year. “Thank you to everyone for your support.” Motherwell received plaudits from all across the country, and Saturday’s victory over Hibs secured 4th place and a European tour for the first time since 2021. Having lost the services of midfield stalwart Callum Slattery, who leaves Fir Park after five years, Well fans will be encouraged by Fadinger’s extension, who is perhaps regarded as an underrated player in the Scottish top flight.

Jens Berthel Askou trusts his team will show their “best side”  as they stand on the brink of European football for the first time since 2021. Speaking ahead of their final match at Fir Park against Celtic, the Dane anticipates a tough task against the Scottish Champions. “It’s obviously a team that is in a good place, the best place they’ve been for a long time. But also a team that suddenly has a lot to lose, which can maybe also affect the mental state of the game. “There will be momentum shifts in the game from start to finish, and we need to deal with that emotional state of the game as well.” Motherwell have regularly taken points off the top three sides this season, most recently, disrupting Hearts’ title challenge with a 1-1 draw on Saturday. “It’s something that has helped us, especially at Ibrox last time, also against Hearts the other day.” “I am confident it will also give us an advantage that we have practised that again, and again, and again when we played the big teams, to really try to be ourselves all the way through. “I trust the players that they will be able to show their best side, not only technically and physically but also mentally. “Obviously, it’s a combination of the mental part and then the tactical approach that they have to suit each other and enhance each other. “If we tell them not to take risks or show fear from the leadership perspective and don’t trust them or react very emotionally and frustrated when we don’t succeed, and still tell them to do it, then they’re going to be in a place where they get confused and insecure. “Obviously, when the big mistakes have been there – and they have been there – then it’s about considering them and addressing them as mistakes for growth. “That has been extremely important to keep looking at how to develop and how to use that going forward into making either better decisions or just improving the situations, the execution. “Time will tell over the last couple of games how far we’ve come, and especially [on Wednesday], which is probably the biggest test so far of them all.”

Jens Berthel Askou has urged his side to “attack the league” after Sunday’s victory over Rangers, putting Motherwell in a commanding position to wrap up European football for the first time since 2022. Goals from Lukas Fadinger and Emmanuel Longelo’s double wrestled a five-goal thriller into the Steelmen’s favour, as they delivered a third Ibrox victory in three seasons. Speaking at full-time, Askou was delighted to watch his side end their five-match winless run. “The result, it’s hard not to say that’s very pleasing. We’ve been a few points short over the last five games in terms of how we’ve performed. “First half was right up there with us at the very best. We know we needed that today to win the game. Second half became a much more difficult half, both because Rangers stepped up and lifted their game and because we didn’t have that same sharpness in our game, especially in the final third, that we had in the first half. “There were moments to score the third goal earlier in that second half but I’m very happy that we took the chance when it arrived at the end, even though the legs and the heads will be a little bit tired. Motherwell’s free-flowing nature under the Dane has been a breath of fresh air for Scottish football’s top flight. The 3-2 win was the third time this season that the Fir Park side has taken points from Rangers. Their ability to stem Ibrox’s raucous atmosphere was reminiscent of a high-level European side regularly playing through the lines. Askou was thrilled with their composure and clinical nature. “To stay cool and to still play our game when you have more than 50,000 trying to help push for the winner and to just be composed and do what we do and first of all defend with our lives, which we needed, and then to produce that final moment of quality to decide the game – really impressed with that. “And extremely happy that just looking at the performances and trying to improve the little things that it finally paid off with a win. With four league games remaining, the manager has urged his confident side to stay hungry, as they chase European football for the first time since 2022. “We want to win every game. I see a group of players that are talented enough to compete for the win in every game no matter who we play and where we play. I’ve said that throughout the season. Today was another testament to that and a demonstration of that anything is possible if you really go for it and reach out for it. “We’ve not arrived here to just say, ‘fine, top six, everything is good, now we’re in fourth place, let’s just try and defend’. We want to attack the league and get as many points as possible because that’s our mindset and that’s what gives us the best opportunity to make sure that we stay in this position.” Motherwell travel to Falkirk this weekend, before hosting Hearts under the lights at Fir Park. If Sunday is anything to go by – Askou’s boys will have plenty to say in this fascinating title race.

Jens Berthel Askou admits his side’s lack of sharpness is “one of the major reasons” why Motherwell have not tipped results in their favour. Saturday’s defeat at Tynecastle extends the Steelmen’s winless run to five matches, but the Dane is “positive” his side can find their cutting edge in the split. “Earlier in the season, we didn’t need many chances to score goals; now we need a little bit more. And we’re working on that every week, and that’s football. “Sometimes you have spells like that, but I’m really positive that we created these chances in a difficult place to create chances.” Askou labelled the award of Lawrence Shankland’s penalty as “very soft”, and VAR urged Matthew McDiarmid to consult the video monitor. Askou asked what Stephen Welsh was expected to do against a player “dribbling” with his head at ground level. “It’s a shame for the game that it gets decided like that.” “You can argue every time there’s contact that there’s a foul. Then it’s about the amount of contact, the speed of contact, the situation.” Despite the defeat, Askou was encouraged by Motherwell’s display. “But what I want to underline again is that I’m really, really proud of our performance. “We took control of a very difficult game against a very good team who are really, really good at what they do, who have an atmosphere that really drives them and can get you emotionally unstable if you’re not there. We dealt with that extremely well. “Some of the play we set up in the second half, leading to our chances, also the goal, was absolutely outstanding.”