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Can playing by numbers lead to success on the football pitch? Danish champions FC Midtjylland think so. Tonight (18/2/2016) they play Manchester United in the Europe League. The club, formed just 16 years ago, stunned many people by winning the Danish league last season. And the success is said, in large part, to be due to a British businessman. Mathew Benham who became the majority shareholder in July 2014. He introduced a mathematical data driven approach to all aspects of the club - from recruitment to events on the pitch which, it's claimed, is unique in football. The chairman of FC Midtjylland Rasmus Ankersen has been telling Newsday how it works. (Pic - FC Midtjylland celebrate after the match against Club Brugge in a UEFA Europa League group D match in December 2015. Credit: Reuters/Henning Bagger/Scanpix 2015)
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