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Sjöstrand: “The most important international match of the year”
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More than 20 million SEK at stake.
Tonight, the national team plays the most important game of the year.
– When it comes to many things, we have taken a step forward and we played a good game, says Emil Forsberg.
It has not been easy to understand the format of the Nations League with its divisions, playoffs, importance for future rankings and places in the World Cup playoffs.
But when the tournament ends in the next few days, some things start to become clear, such as that Sweden must defeat Croatia on Friends to have a chance to remain in division A.
The blue-yellow is the last after four losses in four games. But Croatia have only added three points (against Sweden at home) and can therefore be beaten with a Swedish victory and provided the Croats do not score more points than Wettergren’s side in Tuesday’s final round. Because it is the mutual meetings that come first and in that case the 1-0 for Sweden on Saturday night is enough. Then Sweden is ahead in away goals (the match in Zagreb ended 2-1).
The last of the group moves down to division B.
But considering how difficult Sweden had it this fall in the tough team with four losses in four games, the question of what is most important is justified: to stay in Division A and face the best, but usually lose or face to more equal rivals in B- division and win more often?
Photo: JOEL MARKLUND / BILDBYRÅN
Emil Forsberg.
“I want to meet the best”
For Robin Olsen, the answer is given:
– Play in the A-division. This is where you want to play. You want to meet the best, says the doorman.
Emil Forsberg:
– For us, the most important thing is to stay in division A. We have shown for many years that, once there has been an important game at stake where it matters a lot, we have taken a step forward and we played a good game. That is exactly what we are looking for again against Croatia.
For Sweden’s top seed in the December World Cup qualifying draw, the match doesn’t matter. It is already clear that the national team will finish in the second group of seeds.
But there is an important reason to stay in the highest division and the money is written.
Counted with three houses full
The division A team received SEK 23.1 million just for participating (solidarity compensation, as it is called) this season against SEK 15.4 million for the B team. Sweden only has 7.7 million SEK. reasons to win tonight. (The sums in the League of Nations, of course, may change in the future.) It is much needed money these days.
– Yes, of course it is, says the union’s general secretary, Håkan Sjöstrand.
And if the audience is allowed to return to football (the next edition of the Nations League will not be played until 2022/23), of course, the best nations in division A will attract significantly more viewers than opponents in division B.
– We estimate that three Friends had been sold this fall against these top three nations and that means SEK 30 million in net revenue, says Sjöstrand.
When Sweden were in Division B in the fall of 2018 and faced Turkey and Russia, Friends was not half full. Compared to lesser-known teams, average ticket prices are also lower, so the difference in ticket revenue in divisions A and B can be as high as SEK 15 million (almost low).
Together with the solidarity compensation, we landed at over SEK 20 million, unlike divisions A and B.
Is this the most important international match this year for the men’s team?
– Yes, as it has developed, it is very important, says Sjöstrand.
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