Importance Score: 60 / 100 🔵
Touched Djurgården CEO Bosse Andersson struggled to express his sentiments following the team’s 4-1 victory over Rapid Vienna, securing their spot in the Conference League semifinals. “I am simply incredibly proud,” Andersson eventually stated. “Real Betis, Fiorentina, Chelsea, and… Djurgården in the semifinals—that is just astonishing.”
The Unlikely Semifinalists
Rightfully so. Chelsea, Real Betis, and Fiorentina are prominent names in European football, while Djurgården has secured just two Swedish Allsvenskan titles in the past two decades. The last time the Swedish outfit made it this far in European competition was back in 1955-56, when they reached the European Cup quarterfinals after defeating the Polish side Gwardia Warsaw.
David Meets Goliath
Financial Disparities Highlight the Conference League
Djurgården’s entire squad is valued at approximately £18 million, according to Transfermarkt. This amount is roughly one-seventh of the worth of Cole Palmer alone. The financial gap between the Swedish team and Chelsea, their semifinal rivals, encapsulates both the splendor and absurdity of the Conference League. The tournament offers smaller European teams a chance to excel in continental competition and generates substantial revenue, but winning the tournament remains an unlikely feat for clubs outside the top five leagues.
The Journey Thus Far
The club, known as DIF, is poised to earn more than £10 million from this season’s competition and has embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with their supporters. Their European journey began on July 25 last year with a 3-0 victory against Luxembourg’s Progrès Niederkorn in the second qualifying round’s first leg. They navigated through the third qualifying round and playoffs before entering the group stage in October.
In the group stage, the club gained traction. Following one point in the first two matches against LASK and Vitória de Guimarães, Djurgården won their remaining four contests, including a standout victory over Panathinaikos, to finish in the top eight.
Preparing for Chelsea
The first leg against Chelsea is set for Thursday at the sold-out 3Arena in Stockholm, and there is genuine optimism within the Djurgården squad. “I genuinely believe we can advance,” said Japanese defender Keita Kosugi. Coach Jani Honkavaara has maintained a cautious optimism during the buildup. “We must be at our best and brave,” Honkavaara, who joined in January, remarked on Wednesday. “Chelsea are well-organized but can be vulnerable defensively. We need to control the ball, especially at home, and be effective in open play and set pieces.”
Overcoming Adversity
Honkavaara faces an injury crisis, having lost several key players, including strikers Oskar Fallenius and Nino Zugelj, who are not expected to return until the summer. Additionally, midfielders Albin Ekdal and Matias Siltanen are not registered for the Conference League and cannot face Chelsea. This means Honkavaara has a mere 14 first-team players to choose from for the first leg and is turning to the youth team for additional players for the bench.
Prior to facing Chelsea, the club dealt with the resignation of its chairman following the discovery of xenophobic messages on his social media. Lars-Erik Sjöberg apologized to those affected and hoped his social media activities would not negatively impact the club. Erik Gozzi has taken over as the new chairman.
Key Players to Watch
Despite being overwhelming favorites, Chelsea may face disruption from Djurgården’s standout performers.
Keita Kosugi
The young full-back from Shonan Bellmare has been a revelation since joining in March 2024. Kosugi, renowned for his endurace and technical ability, delivered an outstanding performance against Rapid, scoring a spectacular goal in the second leg.
Tobias Gulliksen
The 21-year-old Norwegian attacking midfielder has the potential to penetrate most defenses and played a crucial role in the quarterfinals. Before extra time against Rapid, Andersson urged Gulliksen, who scored two goals to secure the win, that “he had the x-factor and now was the time to show it.”
The Road Ahead
As they face Chelsea, Djurgården will need more of this inspired play. The gap in quality between the two teams is vast but does not necessarily mean the Swedes are out of contention before the match begins. “We can’t focus on how much their squad is worth,” Honkavaara noted. “We just have to go out and enjoy it.”