Chelsea rivals Djurgarden ended 38-year drought, helped create Tottenham ace, but complain about own pitch
A unique history-making European run, three different managers and a dodgy pitch – Djurgarden have had one hell of a journey. They face Chelsea again tonight in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, after ending a 38-year drought. Djurgarden have made history in the UEFA Conference League this seasonGetty They are the first Swedish team to reach the last four in Europe since 1987, but it seems their joy will soon come to an end. Enzo Maresca’s side charged into a 4-1 lead in the Conference League semis last week, as Djurgarden now travel to Stamford Bridge. It will be a monumental moment for the Swedes as they get to play at an iconic stadium, fighting to reach a major final. But considering the entire market value of their squad is equivalent to Robert Sanchez’s, it’s no surprise that Chelsea are ahead. Cole Palmer alone at £110million, according to Transfermarkt, is six times more expensive than the Swedish outfit’s full team. However, 12-time Allsvenskan champions Djurgarden are certainly not going to roll over and let themselves get thrashed again tonight. As mentioned, the club, who were founded in 1891 and originally began as a winter sports team, ended a 38-year wait in Sweden for a side to reach the semi-finals of a major European competition. And they’ve done it in very unusual circumstances compared to other semi-finalists, starting their Conference League campaign all the way back in July last year. Djurgarden progressed through the second qualifying round, the third qualifying round and play-offs to book their place in the League Phase of the competition. It meant they had already played six games before things had really got started. Jani Honkavaara’s Djurgarden will be looking to stun ChelseaGetty They then began their League Phase fixtures during the run-in of their domestic season, but the Allsvenskan campaign then ended soon after. So, the club’s main focus from November onwards was the Conference League, trying to keep fit by organising and playing friendlies rather than league games. Incredibly, they still managed to finish fifth in the League Phase table, and that secured their automatic qualification to the knockout stages. Despite that, manager Roberth Bjorkenso, who was only in an interim role following the departure of Kim Bergstrand, left the club. He was replaced by Jani Honkavaara, and he has since led Djurgarden through the knockout stages as their third different boss of the European campaign. It may have been a chaotic few months, but they managed to beat Pafos to reach the quarter-finals, with only cup fixtures and friendlies preparing them for that huge tie. Djurgarden players have complained about the pitch at the 3Arena in StockholmGetty The Allsvenskan then restarted again, just over a week before their quarter-final against Rapid Vienna, and that could have made an impact as they lost 1-0 at home in the first leg. However, they fought back in the second leg, winning 4-1 across normal and extra-time to set up this meeting with Chelsea. Scoring two pivotal goals in that game was 21-year-old Tobias Fjeld Gulliksen, who looks to be the next young star to come from Djurgarden. And Gulliksen will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Lucas Bergvall. The now-Spurs star left the Swedish side for the Premier League last summer, with Ange Postecoglou’s side beating Barcelona to his signature. Bergvall made his last appearance for Djurgarden in July 2024 and ahead of his goodbye, he said: “It feels depressing, of course. I enjoy myself here, so it feels really sad to leave everyone here, but I hope to come back at some point. Bergvall became one of the hottest young talents in Europe at DjurgardenGetty “Djurgarden has meant an incredible amount to me and has been a big part of my life.” The teenager spent just over a year at the club, making 47 appearances, and during that time, he was tipped to become their ‘biggest transfer ever’. And he did, being sold to Spurs for more than double their record departure after catching the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Bergvall has now just signed a new six-year contract in North London, proving just how highly-rated he is in the Premier League. Chelsea know all about Bergvall, coming up against him twice in the Premier League this season – but it’s his former club they face. And things weren’t expected to be simple for either side as they met in Stockholm in the first leg. That’s because Djurgarden’s own players complained about their pitch at their stadium, raising concerns over the artificial grass. New turf is in place at the 3Arena and winger Adam Stahl, along with striker August Priske, took aim at the surface. There were complaints over passing the ball and differences to the club’s training ground pitch, with it being described as ‘challenging’. Fortunately for Chelsea, they weren’t impacte
A unique history-making European run, three different managers and a dodgy pitch – Djurgarden have had one hell of a journey.
They face Chelsea again tonight in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, after ending a 38-year drought.
They are the first Swedish team to reach the last four in Europe since 1987, but it seems their joy will soon come to an end.
Enzo Maresca’s side charged into a 4-1 lead in the Conference League semis last week, as Djurgarden now travel to Stamford Bridge.
It will be a monumental moment for the Swedes as they get to play at an iconic stadium, fighting to reach a major final.
But considering the entire market value of their squad is equivalent to Robert Sanchez’s, it’s no surprise that Chelsea are ahead.
Cole Palmer alone at £110million, according to Transfermarkt, is six times more expensive than the Swedish outfit’s full team.
However, 12-time Allsvenskan champions Djurgarden are certainly not going to roll over and let themselves get thrashed again tonight.
As mentioned, the club, who were founded in 1891 and originally began as a winter sports team, ended a 38-year wait in Sweden for a side to reach the semi-finals of a major European competition.
And they’ve done it in very unusual circumstances compared to other semi-finalists, starting their Conference League campaign all the way back in July last year.
Djurgarden progressed through the second qualifying round, the third qualifying round and play-offs to book their place in the League Phase of the competition.
It meant they had already played six games before things had really got started.
They then began their League Phase fixtures during the run-in of their domestic season, but the Allsvenskan campaign then ended soon after.
So, the club’s main focus from November onwards was the Conference League, trying to keep fit by organising and playing friendlies rather than league games.
Incredibly, they still managed to finish fifth in the League Phase table, and that secured their automatic qualification to the knockout stages.
Despite that, manager Roberth Bjorkenso, who was only in an interim role following the departure of Kim Bergstrand, left the club.
He was replaced by Jani Honkavaara, and he has since led Djurgarden through the knockout stages as their third different boss of the European campaign.
It may have been a chaotic few months, but they managed to beat Pafos to reach the quarter-finals, with only cup fixtures and friendlies preparing them for that huge tie.
The Allsvenskan then restarted again, just over a week before their quarter-final against Rapid Vienna, and that could have made an impact as they lost 1-0 at home in the first leg.
However, they fought back in the second leg, winning 4-1 across normal and extra-time to set up this meeting with Chelsea.
Scoring two pivotal goals in that game was 21-year-old Tobias Fjeld Gulliksen, who looks to be the next young star to come from Djurgarden.
And Gulliksen will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Lucas Bergvall.
The now-Spurs star left the Swedish side for the Premier League last summer, with Ange Postecoglou’s side beating Barcelona to his signature.
Bergvall made his last appearance for Djurgarden in July 2024 and ahead of his goodbye, he said: “It feels depressing, of course. I enjoy myself here, so it feels really sad to leave everyone here, but I hope to come back at some point.
“Djurgarden has meant an incredible amount to me and has been a big part of my life.”
The teenager spent just over a year at the club, making 47 appearances, and during that time, he was tipped to become their ‘biggest transfer ever’.
And he did, being sold to Spurs for more than double their record departure after catching the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Bergvall has now just signed a new six-year contract in North London, proving just how highly-rated he is in the Premier League.
Chelsea know all about Bergvall, coming up against him twice in the Premier League this season – but it’s his former club they face.
And things weren’t expected to be simple for either side as they met in Stockholm in the first leg.
That’s because Djurgarden’s own players complained about their pitch at their stadium, raising concerns over the artificial grass.
New turf is in place at the 3Arena and winger Adam Stahl, along with striker August Priske, took aim at the surface.
There were complaints over passing the ball and differences to the club’s training ground pitch, with it being described as ‘challenging’.
Manager Honkavaara had also admitted that ‘it feels different day to day’ while club members appealed for the artificial surface to be banned.
It left Djurgarden and Chelsea set to play in uncertain conditions, and it could well have impacted the Blues’ success.
However, they managed to overcome it, scoring four and bringing a big lead back to England for the second leg.
Goals from Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson got the job done and now they have one foot in the final.
It means that Djurgarden need to pull off an all-time achievement to knock out Chelsea, almost a year on from beginning their Conference League campaign.
Their chances are slim, but there is always a chance that the minnows could write further history for themselves.
Kick-off at Stamford Bridge for the Conference League semi-final is at 8pm this evening.
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