Katariina Kosola is looking for a sensation with Häcken – the surprising group leader will challenge Chelsea on Thursday at Stamford Bridge | Sport

Häcken, represented by Katariina Kosola, has defeated both Paris FC and Real Madrid in their group, and will also go for points in London.

Katariina Kosola The Swedish club represented by BK Häcken has been one of the most cheerful teams in the women’s Champions League this fall.

The team from Gothenburg is leading their group after two matches, after first defeating the French Paris FC and three weeks ago the Spanish giant Real Madrid.

by Linda Sällström former club Paris FC may be unknown to the general public, but something about the team’s striking ability tells you that they knocked out both last season’s Champions League silver team Wolfsburg and semi-final team Arsenal on their way to the group stage.

Real Madrid is the second strongest team in Spain right after Barcelona, ​​and the team’s ranks include the winner of the World Cup Olga Carmona like stars.

However, Kosola decided the victory for the Swedish team when he scored a handsome 2–1 winning goal in the 76th minute of the match.

– Didn’t quite understand it in that situation, Kosola returned to the mood of a couple of weeks in connection with the Helmareite Nations League match.

– Since I was little, I have watched the Champions League on TV and dreamed of playing there. It’s great when you get to play those games yourself and against clubs like that.

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Häcken’s resistance will not directly ease on Thursday, when Chelsea, who have dominated the English Super League in recent years, will run against them. The group from London is leading the series at the moment as well.

Normally, the women’s team plays its home matches at Kingsmeadow, where there are more than a couple of thousand seats. However, Thursday’s Champions League match will be played at Stamford Bridge, the home stadium of the men’s Premier League team.

Kosola is waiting to face the English giant, and will not go to London to be humiliated.

– It is a screen place for yourself and the team. We have a really good feeling and good self-confidence in the club team at the moment. Anything can happen in Futis, we go there to show what we can do.

Häcken lost on goal difference to the Swedish Damallsvenskan champion Hammarby. However, in the Champions League, the games have passed, as the team is even ahead of Chelsea in the group.

Kosola even admits that he was a little surprised by the excellent start.

– I think it’s nice to be able to play as an underdog. These games are quite different from serial games in Sweden. We have had to accept more. However, we have nothing to lose, we trust our own doing and we know what we are good at.

Other Finns are also facing a tough challenge in December’s Champions League games. Ria Öling’s In Malmö, Rosengård hosts Barcelona, ​​the best club team in the world at the moment.

Joanna Tynnilän and Nanne Ruuskanen representing Brann’s journey as a guest of Lyon. Ruuskanen is among the long-term patients, and Joanna Tynnilä missed the national matches in November-December after breaking his hand.

Tinja-Riikka Korpelan AS Roma, on the other hand, plays as a guest of PSG.

The Women’s Champions League is being renewed

Last week, Uefa announced the reforms of the Women’s Champions League again for the 2025-2026 season.

The Women’s Champions League has only been played in its current form, i.e. in the early stages, since 2021–22.

Just like the reforms of the men’s Champions League, also the women’s In the Champions League, the group stages are removed and the number of teams increases. However, the number of matches on the women’s side does not increase at this stage of the competition, instead the teams play three matches at home and three away as usual. The opponents are determined based on the ranking of the club team, i.e. the top teams meet each other at an early stage.

Uefa also announced a new women’s club team competition, in which teams that have fallen out of the Champions League qualifiers also have the opportunity to continue in the European games. Another club competition aimed at European teams is played in a direct playoff format.