CELTIC or KR Reykjavík have been given a home draw against either Ferencvaros (Hungary) or Djurgardens IF (Sweden) in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers. That means that Celtic could have two home ties in these one off games that will be settled over one match rather than the usual two leg affairs. However there may be a need to move  one or both to neutral venues depending on the various restrictions that could be enforced due to the pandemic.

“Should Celtic beat KR Reykjavík in QR1, we would face either Ferencvaros (Hungary) or Djurgardens IF (Sweden) in QR2. Home draw, but subject to restrictions could be moved to a neutral location. Game will be played on 25th/26th August,” the informative Moravcik67 noted on social media.

We’ll have a look at the Hungarian side shortly but here is Matt Corr’s analysis on the Swedish Champions…

Djurgardens IF of Sweden

Djurgardens IF Fotbollsforening will be Sweden’s representatives in the 2020/21 Champions League. They have a UEFA co-efficient of 4.550, compared to Celtic’s 34.

Founded

The club was created in March 1891 in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

Colours

Home kit is navy jerseys and shorts with sky blue socks and trim, whilst Djurgardens wear an all-red strip on the road.

Stadium

The club plays its home games at the superb Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, which holds 30,000 spectators and has a retractable roof. It was opened in 2013 and also plays host to Hammarby. Between 1936 and 2013, Djurgardens had been based at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium.

Season 2019/20

As the Swedish season runs from March to October, the Champions League qualification for 2020/21 is based on the League campaign which ended in autumn 2019. In a photo finish, Djurgardens won the 16-team Allsvenskan by a single point from both Malmo and Hammarby.

Domestic record

Djurgardens has won 12 Swedish titles and five national cups (Svenska Cupen). They were last champions in 2005, their third title in four seasons at that time.

European record

Djurgardens competed in the very first European Cup, losing both legs of the quarter final to Hibernian. Interestingly, their ‘home’ game was played at Firhill, presumably due to the winter weather in Sweden.

In the Champions League era, their only success has been an 2-0 aggregate victory over Lithuanians Kaunus in 2004. They then drew 2-2 in the Stadio delle Alpi with Juventus in the next round before the Italian giants won the tie with a 4-1 win in the Rasunda return leg.

Previous meetings

Celtic have never faced Djurgardens in a competitive match, although in recent seasons we have come up against Swedish sides AIK Solna, Malmo, Helsingborgs and Elfsborg with mixed results.

Current personnel

Whilst the majority of the Djurgardens squad are Swedish, they also include players from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Norway, Zambia and England.

The joint Head Coaches are also Swedish, Kim Bergstrand and Thomas Lagerlof.

Hail Hail!

Matt Corr

Follow Matt on Twitter @Boola_vogue