BK Häcken have been handed an extremely tough draw for the Champions League league phase. The Gothenburg club will face several of Europe's absolute biggest teams this autumn, according to reports from Svensk fotboll.
The draw took place on Friday and set the framework for Häcken's first participation in the competition's new format. Having qualified directly by winning the Europa League last season, they now face six matches against the elite. The first matchday is on 22 September and the sixth and final one is on 16 December. All results from the league phase will be combined into a single table for the 18 participating clubs.
Which teams will Häcken face?
Häcken will play home matches against Chelsea, Juventus and Manchester City. The away fixtures are against Olympique Lyonnais, Paris FC and Inter. It's a collection of opponents representing the highest level of European club football. Chelsea and Manchester City are both English champions with substantial resources, while Juventus and Inter are Italian giants with long histories in the competition.
The club has two key players on the injury list ahead of this challenging period. Ben Engdahl and Filip Ohman are currently sidelined, which presents a squad challenge. You can follow the status of all injuries on our injuries page.
How does the new Champions League format work?
The format is completely new for the season. Instead of traditional groups, all 18 teams play in one single league table. Each team faces six different opponents, three at home and three away. The top four teams in the table advance directly to the quarter-finals. Teams placed 5th to 12th will play off for the remaining four quarter-final spots.
This means Häcken have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages even with a tough draw. A finish among the top twelve is enough to enter the playoffs. Every result counts and each point could be decisive.
What does this mean for Häcken's schedule?
The Champions League matches will put significant pressure on the squad during the autumn. The matches are spread over three months and will be combined with Allsvenskan fixtures. Häcken's next league match is away against Malmö FF on 18 October, which you can see in the full fixtures schedule.
It will be a period with extensive travel and tough opponents in quick succession. The club must manage rotation and recovery carefully. The playing schedule for the autumn is now set and can be studied in detail.
What are Häcken's chances of progressing?
No Swedish team has ever qualified for the Champions League knockout stages in the old format. Now there is a clear path for Häcken to make history. Last season's Europa League victory gave direct entry to the league phase, which is a major advantage.
The squad has experience facing top opposition from last year's European campaign. That knowledge will be valuable now. All players in the squad are listed on our squad page.
Häcken begin their Champions League season away to Olympique Lyonnais on 22 September. It's the first of six matches that will determine if the club can reach historic heights in Europe's premier competition.
