HJK will again be able to enjoy European games well into the winter. The match rush brings additional spice to the Veikkausliiga’s delicious championship battle, writes Urheilu’s Jussi Vainikka.
Jussi Vainikka
Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi plays for the third season in the group stage of the Euro competition. The matter was confirmed when HJK turned a pair of matches in favor of Romania’s reigning champion Farul Constanta at home on Thursday night and secured a place in the Conference League.
In total, HJK has made it to the group stage in Euro competitions five times now. Before the establishment of the Conference League, which is now being played for the third time, HJK has played in the Champions League in the 1998–99 season and in the European League in the 2014–15 season.
It is clear that access to the group stage is significantly easier with the Conference League. Instead of the previous 80 group places, there are 96 places available in the current European pyramid. This time it was enough for HJK to win two matches out of four in the Conference League.
For HJK, the so-called Champions qualification path is also advantageous. Champions from different countries can only face each other in the qualifiers, which increases the probability of a favorable lottery. I saw HJK avoided in the Conference League playoff round for example, Aston Villa or Eintracht Frankfurt, who qualified on the so-called standard qualification path.
Nevertheless, HJK’s achievement should not be underestimated. You don’t see too many significant international successes in Finnish football. Apart from HJK, no other club has reached the group stage of any competition, although the feats of FC Kuusys from Lahti in the European Cup, the predecessor of the Champions League, is good to keep in mind. Kuusysi advanced to the top eight European club teams in the 1985–86 season.
HJK played convincingly on Thursday. Struggling from a losing position to winning is a rare treat for Finnish clubs in Europe.
Just like in the previous pair of matches against Azerbaijan’s Qarabag, HJK entered the match strongly as a chaser and quickly took the lead. The situation crumbled against Qarabag Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan to the red card, but now the package stayed together. Bojan Radulovic the winning goal was more than deserved.
There has been enough turbulence around HJK. Toni Korkeakunnas your ear Toni Koskelan as head coach in July. The flowing dance moves at the final whistle exuded pressure released from the neck. Another of the season’s main goals was fulfilled, and the rate is rising in the domestic league as well.
Last season, HJK played in the Conference League, one step higher in the Europa League. Giant clubs like AS Roma and Real Betis are not available in Friday’s group draw, but for example Aston Villa, Eintracht Frankfurt or Fiorentina would also offer HJK fascinating challenges.
In the event of a suitable lottery luck, HJK has the opportunity to fight equally for the next place. Financially, the block location is significant.
Europel also bring their own spice to the Veikkausliiga’s delicious championship battle. The conference league’s six group matches create a backlog of matches for the people of Helsinki, which Kuopio Ball Club has no problem with. HJK and KuPS meet on Sunday in the last round of the Veikkausliiga regular season.
The current European game system has emphasized the importance of the league championship even more. For other places that qualify for European games, the road to the group stage is rockier than the previously mentioned usual qualifying path.
For example, KuPS advanced to the Conference League playoff round in the summer of 2021, but the road was cut off by Bundesliga Union Berlin. At that time, a victory over Neftci Baku from Azerbaijan was enough for HJK to qualify for the group stage.
In Helsinki, it is again necessary to prepare for a long football winter. The last round of the conference league group stage will be played in mid-December.