After the summer break, both Djurgården and Hammarby have each got back a young defense star who made his debut in the Swedish national team. 23-year-old Hjalmar Ekdal started against both Serbia and Norway. 22-year-old Edvin Kurtulus had to jump in early against Serbia when Joakim Nilsson went out injured and then had to start next to Ekdal in the 2-3 loss against Norway.
– It is a good player of course. He addressed himself immediately and showed no respect for the resistance for five cents. He has a lot of self-confidence and he has shown that in the Allsvenskan as well, says Hjalmar Ekdal about Kurtulus.
How do you think you worked together?
– It was good. Then there is not much to go on after just one and a half matches.
Have you tipped your strikers about something they can do now that you’re playing with him?
– No I do not have it but maybe I should do it now when you say it, says Ekdal.
The derby is of course one of the biggest matches of the year for both teams. Likewise for Hjalmar Ekdal. Before coming to Djurgården, he belonged to Hammarby for two years. But there he never got the chance and was loaned to both IK Frej and Sirius.
– I never had time to get such strong sympathies for Hammarby. I was there for a very short time and did not even make a competitive match. But I have some polar bears left in the team so it will be fun to play against them.
In Djurgården has Ekdal has grown into one of the Allsvenskan’s best defenders, which also gave him the opportunity to make his debut in the national team just under a month ago. He attributes that development curve to Djurgården believing in him.
– They have given me a trust that did not exist in Hammarby. I have had the chance here and then I have also grown.
Last year, he also got the ultimate revenge when he scored his first Allsvenskan goal against Hammarby in a match that ended 4-1 to Djurgården.
22-year-old Edvin Kurtulus makes his first derby against Djurgården after joining Hammarby this year. After his national team debut, he enters the match with even more eyes on him than before the break.
– It is important to work even harder now. I want to show that I deserved that debut, he says.
He also praises Hjalmar Ekdal.
– We are both young ambitious midfielders so it was fun to play together. It will be fun to meet him too, says Edvin Kurtulus about Ekdal.
Despite two losses against Serbia and Norway, Kurtulus received great praise afterwards. Especially for his security with the ball and nice passes forward in the field.
– I was just trying to go in and do my thing. I do that no matter who we meet. Of course you know your opponent’s strengths but it does not affect my game if it is Kiese Thelin, Totte Nyman or (Erling) Haaland I meet.
Hammarby comes to the derby with a cross most recently against league-leading Häcken after picking up a 0-2 deficit at home. Djurgården comes with their first away win in the bag when they defeated Sundsvall last Sunday by a full 5-2.
Djurgården parks in third place in the table and Hammarby in fourth place with the same points but worse goal difference and one match less played.