Zetterberg: 'Hammarby is a serious European test'

THURSDAY, 18 JUNE 2026, 10:07 - lajoya
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INTERVIEWS Anderlecht now know their first opponent in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. The Brussels side will travel to the Swedish capital Stockholm, where Hammarby await. According to club legend Pär Zetterberg, it will be anything but an easy task for the purple-and-white side. The former midfielder sees both teams as roughly evenly matched and stresses that Hammarby have taken a major step forward in recent seasons.


In his view, the club now belongs among the very best in Swedish football and is stronger than BK Häcken, the side that surprisingly knocked Anderlecht out of the Europa League last season. The match rhythm also appears to favour Hammarby for now. With the Swedish league in full swing, the team will already have played around 15 league matches by the time Anderlecht come to visit. For Anderlecht, by contrast, it will be one of the first official games of the new season.


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Ambitions at the club are high as well. After finishing second in the league, the decision was made to refresh the coaching staff in an effort to challenge for the title again. Hammarby have only been crowned Swedish champions once, in 2001, but want to re-establish themselves at the top on a more permanent basis. They have also caught the eye in Europe recently. Last season, Hammarby eliminated Charleroi in the second qualifying round of the Conference League, underlining that the Swedes can more than hold their own against Belgian opposition.

According to Zetterberg, the two clubs also share a number of similarities. Both Anderlecht and Hammarby traditionally opt for attacking football and must deliver under the weight of high expectations from a demanding and critical public. The message from the former Swedish player is therefore clear: Anderlecht are in for a tough European tie in which details and sharpness could well make the difference.

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Reading tip: Thursday, 18 June 2026, 10:07 - Anderlecht against Hammarby in European qualifying round