BK Häcken have been drawn against top European clubs in the Women's Champions League group stage. Swedish media reported on Friday that the Gothenburg side face Lyon, Chelsea and Manchester City among their six opponents.
Who are Häcken's opponents in the Champions League?
According to Aftonbladet and Svenskfotboll.se, Häcken were drawn against Chelsea at home and Lyon away in the league phase. Other opponents in their group include Juventus, Paris FC, Manchester City and Inter.
Lyon are the reigning finalists and most successful club in the competition's history. Chelsea feature Swedish defender Nathalie Björn while Inter have Olivia Schough in their squad. Manchester City won last season's Super League and are coached by Andrée Jeglertz.
What does the team say about the draw?
Captain Anna Anvegård commented on the draw on the club's website. "It's a pretty tough draw but we go in with the attitude to advance, which of course will require top performances from everyone," she said.
Coach Elena Sadiku expressed optimism about the challenge. "I believe we have great chances of advancing if we win three of the matches," she told vk.se. "We as a team have shown that we can compete even with the top teams and hopefully we can show that again."
When are the Champions League matches played?
The first matchday is on September 22nd and the sixth and final round takes place on December 16th. All teams play three home matches and three away matches.
The four best-placed teams advance directly to the quarter-finals. Teams finishing 5th to 12th play playoffs for the remaining four quarter-final spots. Häcken qualified directly for the league phase after winning the Europa Cup last season.
What about the men's team upcoming fixtures?
While the women's team prepares for the Champions League, the men's team have important matches ahead. According to our latest data, Häcken play away against Malmö FF on October 18th. You can follow the complete schedule on our fixtures page.
The men's team currently holds a solid position in the Allsvenskan table. The current standings show the team has a good starting point for the final stretch of the season. Manager Jens Gustafsson also has full access to his squad for the upcoming challenges.
Will Felicia Schröder face Häcken?
According to vk.se, there will be no reunion with Felicia Schröder in the Champions League. Häcken's former attacking star now plays for Real Madrid, but the two teams were not drawn in the same group.
Real Madrid instead landed in another group with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Paris FC, Roma, Inter and Manchester City. Schröder has continued scoring goals for her new club since leaving Häcken.
Häcken begin their Champions League campaign on September 22nd with one of their toughest matches immediately, the away game against Lyon in France.
