BK Hacken: The inside track on TNS' Champions League opponents

What do you think of Hacken’s chances?

Hacken is one Sweden’s best team right now. They are playing an attacking football with pace up front. I think that Hacken will win and they should win quite big. I don’t know much about TNS but Hacken should be big favourites because they have been playing very good this year.

What key players should TNS look out for?

Mikkel Rygaard, the twins Samuel and Simon Gustafson has been very good for the team. Also Benie Traore that has scored 12 goals this season in the league. Many clubs in Europe want to buy him so it is still unsure if he will be available against TNS.

How much excitement is there around Hacken’s first venture into the Champions League, and how far do you think they can go?

I think they will qualify for one of the European leagues. Maybe not Champions League, but the team they have for the moment, with the depth in the their squad and the quality of their star players I think they can play in maybe Conference or Europa League.

What was the difference that saw them jump up to the position of champions last year?

They have worked systematically with transfers and found the right player for the best spot in the team.

How many fans are Hacken expected to bring with them for the second leg?

In Sweden we have a history of supporters that travel across the country and goes on long flights to European cities when they compete in the European qualifications – BK Hacken is sadly not one of those clubs. They have improved their supporter culture and they are more people now that follow them that it was for say five years ago. But I don’t think you can expect that many supporters if any.

If it had been IFK Goteborg, Malmo FF or one of the clubs in Stockholm you could had except more supporters but that’s not the case with Häcken right now. Maybe it will change over the year but for now they are club with not that many supporters if you compare with other clubs in Sweden.