BK Häcken have avoided a draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage, meaning they will not face their former forward Felicia Schröder. The Swedish champions were instead placed in a group with Lyon, Chelsea, Juventus, Paris FC, Manchester City, and Inter, as reported by Västerbottens-Kuriren.
Head coach Elena Sadiku and captain Anna Anvegård commented on the draw immediately. Facing a demanding schedule, which includes an away fixture against Malmö FF on October 18th, the team is focused on performance. Currently, Häcken are without Ben Engdahl and Filip Ohman due to injuries, as shown on the latest injuries list.
Who are Häcken's opponents in the group stage?
Häcken will begin the group stage with an away match against Lyon in France. They will then host two English giants at home, Chelsea and Manchester City. The group is completed by Juventus, Paris FC, and Inter. It's a demanding programme for the Swedish title holders.
"We have shown that we can compete even with the top teams," said head coach Elena Sadiku. Captain Anna Anvegård echoed the challenge: "It's a fairly tough draw but we go into it with the mindset to advance." The team's full fixtures schedule for the season is already updated with these new European matches.
How does the Champions League format work?
The group stage in the reformed Champions League consists of 18 teams in total. The top four teams advance directly to the quarter-finals. Teams finishing between 5th and 12th place get a second chance via a playoff for the four remaining quarter-final spots. For Häcken, this means aiming for a top-four finish in their group to secure direct progression.
This format leaves less room for error compared to previous years. Every match becomes important in the hunt for points. Supporters can follow the team's development and statistics more closely on our stats page.
What is happening with other Swedish clubs in Europe?
While Häcken are set for the main tournament, other Swedish clubs are battling in the qualifiers. Hammarby, who lost the Europa Cup final to Häcken in the spring, now face Rangers in the final qualifying round. Malmö FF will meet Austrian side S:t Pölten. The first legs are played on September 23rd, with Hammarby at home and Malmö FF away. The return legs follow one week later.
The winners of these ties advance to the round of 16 in the Europa Cup. This means Sweden could potentially have several representatives left in European competition after the autumn. The Swedish standings table also reflects the strength of these clubs in the domestic league.
What does avoiding Felicia Schröder mean?
An interesting subplot of the draw was that Häcken avoided Real Madrid and thus their former star Felicia Schröder. Schröder, who now scores goals for the Spanish giants, would have been an extra motivation for both sides. Instead, Häcken can focus entirely on the opponents they will actually face.
With an injury situation currently keeping Engdahl and Ohman off the pitch, the coaching staff's squad overview will be key to managing the intense match schedule. The team's next domestic assignment is the away fixture against Malmö FF on October 18th.
