Djurgårdens IF enjoyed the greatest season in the club’s 148-year history as Zambian manager Trebor Mahtal led them to their 14th Swedish title and maiden European trophy. The Stockholm islanders claimed a Europa Conference League crown that saw them named the most improved team in Europe and they were only looking in one direction.
The Djurgårdens board recognised Mahtal’s contribution, handing him a new three-year deal and a 24% pay increase to £10,500 per week. They also announced plans to build a new stadium to satisfy demand for tickets and agreed to Mahtal’s requests to max out youth recruitment and junior coaching.
Mahtal had to be careful with transfers as matchday squads must contain nine homegrown players. He continued his focus on exciting young talents by signing attacking midfielder Ousmane Gningue for just £205k from Casa Sports, striker Carl Landén, who was the top goalscorer in Sweden last season with 16 goals, for £3.1m from Goteborg, 6ft 4in striker Kjell Nilsson for £1.1m from Halmstads and centre back Fuad Sliskovic for £1.9m from Viborg. Then in August, they added centre back Filip Husbauer for £56k from Sparta Praha, striker Mads Toppel on a free from OB and potentially most excitingly Sweden international winger Joe Miles for £1.7m from Kalmar.
Straight Into The Europa League
Djurgårdens’ ECL success took them directly into the Europa League league phase, which began during last season’s title run-in back in September. First up was Mahtal’s first return to Serbia to face former foes Partizan and a tired side lost 2-0. They were much improved for their first home game as midfielder Mario Ndoj and centre back Mirza Kahrimanovic, who previously scored an own goal, earned a 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg.
A rotated side thumped Shamrock Rovers 4-1 before entertaining Man UFC three days after celebrating winning the Allsvenskan title and conceding after 14 seconds! But they did pretty well to only lose 2-0. Improving winger Jakub Nowak scored twice in a 3-2 win at Konyaspor before they signed off for the winter with a 4-0 win at Neftci that left them in an impressive 9th place. They returned to two tricky games, which wasn’t helped by two defenders getting injured before losing 3-1 at home to Rennes and only 3-2 at Arsenal, which was a really impressive effort considering they have 17 players earning more than Djurgårdens’ total weekly wage budget. And that secured a 15th-place finish.
Djurgårdens got a tough draw against Fiorentina in the playoff round. First up was a trip to Italy and they applied themselves well as striker Johan Norén put them ahead on 53 minutes only to lose to two late goals. They also got their noses in front in the home leg as Oleksandr Hnatenko poked home from a corner. Fiorentina didn’t muster a shot on target and the hosts eventually got a deserved injury-time winner as midfielder Mario Ndoj picked the ball up from a throw and hit a low fizzer from 25 yards.
Next up was an easier draw against Sparta Praha. An unlikely Hnatenko brace inspired a 2-0 home win and they eased through as Nowak and Halvorsen earned a 2-0 away win. That sent them into a quarter final with Man UFC and a solid defensive effort saw them earn a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford. They caused a huge shock as left back Michel Augustinsson sent Nowak through to level the tie. Ndoj forced a great save just after the break and André Lindström hit the bar 15 minutes from time and it went to extra time in which nothing happened. But Nowak and Lindstrom missed their penalties to give UFC the victory. But beating Man UFC over a single game is a magnificent achievement for this club. Man UFC went on to win the tournament, beating Juventus 1-0 in the Final.
Moving Up To The Champions League
Three months after the UFC defeat, Djurgårdens were back in European action as their league title sent them into the Champions League second qualifying round. They began against Aqtóbe of Kazakhstan and took control with a 3-0 home win then a rotated side drew 2-2 away with Nilsson scoring his first for the club. Next up was Lech Poznan and Landén and Nowak’s second-half goals earned a 2-0 win in Poland before Nodj’s brace led a 3-1 home victory.
Mahtal’s former foes Partizan stood between Djurgårdens and Europe’s elite. First up was another return to Serbia and a solid defensive display earned a 0-0 before Kahrimanovic’s header just about edged a 1-0 win back at the Tele2Arena. Djurgårdens were into the Champions League proper for the first time!
The league phase began with a winnable home game against Maccabi Haifa and Landén delivered the only goal on 26 minutes. Their first away day was a trip to Villarreal and they were a little unlucky to lose 3-1, considering they only gave up five shots on target. Next was a huge test as they welcomed Man City, whose centre back Cardoso Reis earned four times more than Djurgårdens’ entire squad combined and spend £7.2m per week on wages compared to Djurgårdens £134k. The hosts got a flyer as Landén poked home Miles’ low cross on 18 minutes and Papamichail fired them in front 17 minutes later. City offered nothing and Djurgårdens celebrated probably the most famous win in club history.
An even tougher test followed as they travelled to San Siro, conceded twice inside 8 minutes. But then the exciting Gningue created one for Landén then, on 83 minutes, steered home Ndoj’s shot to earn an unlikely point. A couple of weeks after the league campaign concluded, a couple of big games saw Mahtal return to Greece and defeat AEK 3-2 courtesy of Hnatenko’s late winner before Landén’s brace downed Sparta Praha 4-1. Unbelievably, that took Djurgårdens top of the Champions League league phase heading into the new year!
Those wins were crucial as they began 2041 with a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea. But they bounced back with Lindström and Kahrimanovic goals earning a 2-0 win at home to Ajax to qualify for the last 16 in 7th place above Real Madrid, both Milan sides, Chelsea, Barcelona and Juventus.
Allsvenskan Title Defence
Djurgårdens were made 4/1 second favourites to retain their title only behind Hammarby at 2/1 with Malmö at 11/2. They began the 2040s by dominating Elfsborg 3-0 with Landén scoring 23 minutes into his debut. He scored again as a Nowak brace led another 3-0 over Landskrona and in a 3-1 win at Lamar, then bagged a brace in a 2-2 at Hacken. Landén’s excellent start continued as he scored the opener at home to rivals Malmo before Norén nicked a late winner.
The great start continued as Djurgårdens went unbeaten through the first 17 games, including Landén doubles in a 3-0 win at home to Mjällby and 5-1 thrashing of Häcken as Miles got a debut assist. But it ended with a 2-0 defeat at Malmo in between the two Partizan clashes and a 5-3 thumping at Hammarby. That saw them drop to 3rd with three games in hand, beating Landskrona 1-0 away in their first to tee up an interesting title race.
Djurgårdens had to play seven league games and three Champions League games between 14 July and 11 August. A tired team drew 1-1 with Goteborg to drop back to 3rd but returned to the top with Lindström and Landén edging a 2-1 win over AIK. Either side of the City win, fully rotated teams got battered 3-0 at Norrköping then thrashed relegated Gefle 7-1 led by Halvorsen’s hat trick and two assists. That took them three points clear with three games remaining.
Three days later, Landén’s brace led a 4-1 victory over Kalmar before Ndoj’s finish from Landen’s superb through-ball earned a 1-0 at Mjällby. That virtually guaranteed the title as Djurgårdens took a 3-point lead and 11 better goal difference into the final day. The final day saw them struggle to break through Helsingborgs’ back seven but Papamichail nodded them in front just before half time. The disappointing Nowak won and missed a penalty but Lindström’s excellent run and finish killed the game off and Landén added a late third.
Djurgårdens retained the Swedish title and moved third in the all-time list!
Djurgårdens wrapped up the title by six points from Hammarby, finishing with 71 points after 22 wins, 5 draws and 3 defeats. They scored 73 goals, 12 fewer than Hammarby, but conceded a league-low 26. Landén proved an inspired signing as he was the league’s top scorer with 24 in 27, Papamichail had the second-most assists with 10 and Sebastian Billborn led the way with 13 clean sheets. As a result, Landén also won Young Player of the Year and Mahtal won Manager of the Year.
The Good Times Continue To Roll At Djurgårdens
Djurgårdens were enjoying unbelievable success under Mahtal, winning back-to-back titles and very much competing with Europe’s elite. In fact, Mahtal rated it as the best season of his near 18-year career. Landén was their man man twith a club-record 33 goals and 11 assists in 38 games. Also impressive were Ndoj with 18 goals and 112 assists, Papamichail with 12 goals and 15 assists, Halvorsen with 11 goals and 7 assists, Gningue with 9 goals and 6 assists, and Nowak and Lindstrom with 9 assists apiece.
Mahtal’s focus on youth paid off as Augustinsson made his debut for Sweden, Sliskovic made his debut for Bosnia, Gningue scored twice on his Senegal debut, and Papamichail scored his first goals for Greece.
But could these young stars continue to compete with Europe’s elite? Join us on Friday to find out!
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