Djurgårdens IF faces a complex challenge as they prepare for their upcoming Allsvenskan match against IK Sirius on November 22.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Halmstads BK, where Marvin Illary scored a counter-attack goal in the 87th minute to secure the win for the bottom-placed side, the club finds itself in a position where a victory could inadvertently assist their rival, Hammarby IF, in the league title race.
While some supporters have expressed a desire for the team to lose to prevent a Hammarby championship, club leadership and players maintain that their objective remains unchanged.
Maximilian Hahn, the club’s football manager, said that the team’s focus is strictly on securing three points. “De är berättigade att ha sin åsikt och det är det coola med att ha passionerade supportrar, att de kan framföra sin åsikt. Vårt jobb är att förbereda oss för matcher och förbereda killarna för att vinna matcher,” said Hahn.
Addressing the speculation regarding the match at Studenternas, Hahn dismissed the idea that the team needs specific mental preparation to handle the conflicting expectations. “Jag tror inte att de inte vill att vi ska vinna. Jag tror att de vill att vi ska visa något och att det är huvudsaken,” he said.
He added that he expects the fans to provide their usual energy and support during this challenging period for the club. Hahn said that his goal is to bring joy back to the squad during the international break so they feel comfortable and light before preparations resume on Monday.
The match comes after a significant leadership change, as Djurgården recently dismissed head coach Jani Honkavaara. The dismissal also included assistant coaches Christer Mattiasson and Hugo Berggren. The team is now led by Agon Mehmeti, Abel Lorincz, and Hannes Grönblad. Players have also emphasized their professional obligations despite the external pressure.
“Jag vet att supportrarna verkligen vill se oss förlora, men så kan du inte göra som spelare. Du måste respektera alla – ligan och spelarna,” said Peter Langhoff. Langhoff, who joined from Lyngby and has recorded 377 minutes of Allsvenskan playing time, said he believes Jani Honkavaara selected him to start against Halmstad because of his hard training.
“Jag tycker också att jag tränat bra och av den anledningen tror jag att Jani valde mig,” he told Fotbollskanalen. He added that despite injuries, he has learned much during his first season outside of Denmark.
Teammate Jacob Rinne echoed this sentiment, noting that while the prospect of a Hammarby title is unwelcome, the squad has its own goals to pursue. “Men vi har ju också en framtid med klubben till nästa säsong. Vi har också saker att spela för. Vi måste fokusera på det,” Rinne said.
He described the possibility of Hammarby winning the gold as almost the worst thing imaginable. Jeppe Okkels also expressed a desire to finish in the top three to play in Europe next year. “Jag vill sluta topp tre, och förhoppningsvis spela med Djurgården i Europa nästa år,” Okkels said.
Djurgården currently holds third place in the table. Securing a win against Sirius, who are tied with Hammarby on 58 points, would help the club defend its position against fourth-place BK Häcken and solidify a spot in European competition for the upcoming season. Djurgården currently sits six points behind Hammarby IF.
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