Europa Cup: Felicia Schröder on significance of all-Swedish final between BK Häcken and Hammarby

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·29 de abril de 2026

Europa Cup: Felicia Schröder on significance of all-Swedish final between BK Häcken and Hammarby

Felicia Schröder’s goal is the only thing that separates Swedish powerhouses BK Häcken and Hammarby heading into the second leg of the first ever UEFA Women’s Europa Cup final.

BK Häcken hold a slim advantage as the two Damallsvenskan sides prepare to meet again at the Hisingen Arena in Gothenburg. The clash on May 1st will decide who will be crowned the inaugural champions of the UWEC.

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BK Häcken beat the likes of Inter Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt to reach the final. Meanwhile, rivals Hammarby saw off Ajax, Brann, Sporting CP and Sparta Praha to reach the final.

BK Häcken vs Hammarby final is important for Swedish football

Häcken and Hammarby are two heavyweight sides in the Swedish women’s game and Schröder has stressed the importance of this mouthwatering showdown in Europe.

“It shows how high Swedish teams can go, it’s important for Sweden. The fact that Häcken and Hammarby are both in a European cup final, that’s huge,” the 19-year-old told the media ahead of Friday’s second leg.

“There are so many Swedish players who have gone to other European teams like Liverpool, Tottenham and many others. So yeah, it’s so important for Sweden and this league that we are both in the final.”

There’s no hiding from the fact that competing in European tournaments at just 19 years of age is a huge learning opportunity for one of Europe’s brightest rising stars.

“It’s a big tournament, with big, big players. You learn so much against them.” Schröder admitted.

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‘Aivi Luik knows everything about football’

Australian legend Aivi Luik is a key figure in the Häcken dressing room. The 41-year-old recently broke the record previously set by Formiga during the 2017 UEFA Women’s Champions League final as the oldest woman to ever play in a European cup final.

“Honestly, it’s really important [having Luik in the team]. I would say she knows everything — on the pitch, how to fix situations when it’s perhaps not working,” Schröder said. “She sees spaces on the pitch no one else can see. Her defensive ability is incredible.

“I’m looking up to her everyday, she really is a role model to me.”

Luik has won silverware in three different countries at club level and she also lifted the Asian Cup in 2010 with the Australian national team.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 18: Aivi Luik poses during a Matildas training session ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Two Damallsvenskan sides going toe-to-toe

With Hammarby and BK Häcken both being from the Damallsvenskan, it’s both a blessing and a curse that the finalists know each other so well. Both teams will have an intimate knowledge of how their opponents prepare for fixtures, the teams they are likely to field, and their apparent weaknesses.

“I would say it’s an advantage,” Schröder said of knowing Hammarby well. “I think we know them so well. They also know us and our strategies on the pitch. We’re playing them five times this year, it’s going to be fun. We’re rivals, that’s always fun, it’s going to be an intense game I think.”

Häcken head coach Elena Sadiku was keen to stress the importance of the first leg victory to the media.

“The first part is done, now we have the second part left. There are still 90 minutes left in the tie. We created a decent number of chances and could have scored more goals. It’s up to the analysis to see what needs to be improved. You can’t count Hammarby out.”

Felicia Schröder is a player in top form

Since making her Swedish international debut at 18 years of age against Italy in 2025, Schröder has gone from strength to strength. The striker finished the 2025 season as the Damallsvenskan top goal scorer, with 30 goals in total. She also reached her first European final during that campaign.

In 2026, the teen has already scored 13 goals across all competitions and is on target to exceed her numbers from the previous year.

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN – NOVEMBER 12: Supporters of BK Hacken with scarves during a UEFA Women’s Europa Cup 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between BK Hacken and FC Internazionale Milano on November 12, 2025 in Gothenburg, Sweden. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

“It’s an incredible feeling [to score a goal], I actually can’t describe it, It’s so amazing,” Schröder said. “Just to be happy and celebrate as a team. We achieve it all together, it’s a team sport. Of course I’ve scored many goals but it’s the team behind it, the actions before the goal. It’s an incredible feeling, I wish I could describe it.”