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Djurgarden vs Chelsea Preview: Team News & Prediction

by Alex Lawes · April 28 2025, 16:32
Djurgarden vs Chelsea Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Djurgarden have surprised many be reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League as they now take on the tournament favourites in this first-leg in Sweden this midweek.

Kick-off date/time: Thursday 1st May, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery / US – Paramount+

Djurgarden Preview: Punching above their weight

Djurgarden come into this one on the back of the Swedish Allsvenskan granting their game against Brommapojkarna to be postponed at the weekend in order to prepare for a European semi-final and so they remain in the middle of the Allsvenskan table after five matches.

Despite poor form domestically stretching over from the 2024 season, the Swedes managed to overcome Rapid Vienna in the quarter-finals of this competition a couple of weeks ago courtesy of a shock 4-1 victory in Austria in the second-leg of that tie.

Chelsea Preview: Blues’ inertia on the road to glory

Chelsea were booed off as they progressed into the semi-finals of a tournament they are extremely heavy favourites for as the Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat to Legia Warsaw at Stamford Bridge to complete what was a 4-2 aggregate victory over the Polish giants.

Enzo Maresca’s relationship with Chelsea supporters is a fairly fractured one as the Blues seek to qualify for the UEFA Champions League with a top five finish this season, despite at one stage being on the fringes of the title race a few months ago.

Djurgarden Team News: Several issues

Djurgarden welcome Chelsea to the 3Arena in Stockholm with several injury absentees for this one. Key midfielder, Sweden international Albin Ekdal, is sidelined alongside the likes of Piotr Johansson and Patric Aslund. Goalkeepers Malkolm Nilsson Safqvist and Jacob Rinne are both sidelined so third-choice goalkeeper Max Croon is expected to start.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Croon; Stahl, Une Larsson, Danielsson, Kosugi; Stensson, Finndell; Bergh, Gulliksen, Haarala; Nguen

Unavailable: Safqvist (Injured), Rinne (Illness), Ekdal (Injured), Zugelj (Injured), Johansson (Injured), Aslund (Injured)

Questionable: Fallenius (Injured), Schuller (Injured), Nilsson (Injured)

Chelsea Team News: Gusto a doubt

Chelsea are dealing with a few availability issues ahead of their trip to Sweden this week as Malo Gusto remains a doubt due to an injury sustained against Fulham a couple of weeks ago. Enzo Maresca has often heavily rotated throughout the campaign and that could remain the case even in this semi-final.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall; Madueke, Fernandez, Sancho; Jackson

Unavailable: Fofana (Injured), Kellyman (Injured), Mudryk (Disciplinary), Guiu (Injured)

Questionable: Gusto (Injured)

Key Stats

  • Djurgården are through to their first UEFA competition semi-final.
  • Djurgården are first Swedish team to reach the semi-finals of a major men’s UEFA competition since IFK Göteborg in the 1986/87 UEFA Cup. Note: Örebro SK and Halmstads BK did reach the Intertoto Cup semi-finals in 1996 and 1997 respectively.
  • This is Djurgården’s first UEFA competition match against an English team.
  • Djurgården have won eight of their last ten UEFA competition two-legged ties.
  • Djurgården have won six of their last eight UEFA Conference League matches (L2).
  • This is Djurgården’s 17th UEFA club competition match this season – the most any Swedish team has played in a single season.
  • Djurgården have won ten matches in UEFA competition this season – equalling their own Swedish record of wins in a single season which they achieved in 2022/23.
  • This is Chelsea’s 15th UEFA competition semi-final (W7 L7). They have won four of the last five ties.
  • Chelsea are unbeaten in their previous eight UEFA competition matches against Swedish teams (W5 D3). They have won the last four.
  • Chelsea have kept six clean sheets in their previous eight UEFA competition matches against Swedish teams.
  • Chelsea have lost only one of their last 14 matches in UEFA competition semi-finals (W5 D8).
  • Chelsea have won their last five UEFA Conference League matches away from home.
  • Chelsea have won nine of their previous ten matches in the UEFA Conference League competition proper this season, the exception being their 1-2 home defeat against Legia in the second leg of the quarter-finals.
  • Chelsea have opened the scoring in each of their previous six UEFA Conference League matches away from home this season (includes qualifying).

Djurgarden vs Chelsea Prediction

Djurgarden have surpassed expectations by even reaching the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa Conference League, let alone getting all the way to the final four of the competition. They will aim to put up something of a fight and, with home advantage, may enjoy the odd flurry forward but Chelsea, even with a rotated side and a disgruntled fanbase struggling to adapt to the slowness of the Maresca style of football, should still get themselves a comfortable victory in Scandinavia. 

Djurgarden vs Chelsea Tip: Chelsea to win

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