The Stockholm derby ended in a draw as Hammarby maintained their stranglehold over Djurgården, stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches. According to multiple reports, Djurgården have not beaten Hammarby since July 2022, a span of eight derbies without a win, with three draws and five Hammarby victories. The last meeting between the sides was in the Swedish Cup quarterfinal, which Hammarby won 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal by Paulos Abraham.
Djurgården started the match brightly and took the lead in the ninth minute through Kristian Lien, who scored his third Allsvenskan goal in five matches, according to major media reports. Hammarby responded after the hour mark when captain Nahir Besara equalised with an outside-of-the-foot shot, his second league goal of the season. The match was briefly paused in the second half due to a flare burning on the pitch. Djurgården's assistant coach Christer Mattiasson was sent to the stands after receiving a red card from referee Glenn Nyberg, though the exact reason for the dismissal was not immediately clear. Djurgården's new captain Adam Ståhl made his comeback after illness, coming on as a substitute.
I do my thing, try to lead the team. I play my way and keep calm.
Hammarby have started the 2026 season well and will play in the Swedish Cup final against Mjällby, according to multiple reports. They won their Allsvenskan opener 3-0 against Mjällby, then lost 0-2 to Sirius before winning 8-1 against newcomers Örgryte and drawing against Halmstad. After four rounds, Hammarby sit in fourth place with seven points. According to tipping services, Hammarby are tipped to win Allsvenskan, with Mjällby tipped to finish second.
Djurgården's winless streak against Hammarby now extends to nearly four years, with their last victory coming in July 2022. According to major media reports, eight derbies have been played since then without Djurgården winning. Paulos Abraham scored the winning goal in the cup derby last time, according to other sources. The forward has some injury issues but is expected to be in the squad, though his starting place is uncertain.
Too bad we can't leave here with a win. We did a lot of good. Djurgården is a really good team but at the same time we are much better than them today.
Nahir Besara has scored against Djurgården in five of the last nine matches, with two of those matches ending goalless, according to major media reports. Noah Persson joined Hammarby last summer but had his autumn ruined by injury problems, according to other sources. He started all cup matches during the preseason and left Mjällby in 2023. The season Persson left Allsvenskan, Mjällby finished tenth; the following season they finished fifth; last year they won the league. Kalle Karlsson is making his first Allsvenskan Stockholm derby as Hammarby coach, according to other sources.
According to TV4 Nyheterna, Nahir Besara described his approach: "I do my thing, try to lead the team. I play my way and keep calm." He also said: "Too bad we can't leave here with a win. We did a lot of good. Djurgården is a really good team but at the same time we are much better than them today." Adam Ståhl told TV4 Nyheterna: "It felt like we became very low. You have to give it to Hammarby. They did well and got us low." According to Fotbolltransfers, Besara noted: "Derbies live their own lives. We don't think about history, it doesn't help you here and now. It's about focusing on the match." He also said: "I think Djurgården will try to play the same match as they did last time. I think they did a really good match. Defended well and tried to go on counterattacks. The feeling is that it will look similar. They will be eager to try to break their negative trend in derbies." Kalle Karlsson told Fotbolltransfers: "I never speculate about such things. I think it's completely uninteresting." Adam Ståhl said: "If we start thinking about the record, it gets in your head. It's about taking the derby matches with the same attitude we've had since Jani (Honkavaara) came in." He added: "Since he (Jani Honkavaara) has no connection to Stockholm and the derbies, he is quite chill. I think we did good performances in the derbies last year, but not in the results. We feel calm on the pitch and not tense as it may have been before." Ståhl also said: "It will probably be a hell of a match with both teams having a bit of revenge lust."
It felt like we became very low. You have to give it to Hammarby. They did well and got us low.
According to Fotbollskanalen, Noah Persson described the derby: "It will be fun of course. This is what we've been waiting for, we look forward to it." He also said: "It's of course important, but all matches are about three points. It's about being there from the start. Everyone is eager, it's something we've been waiting for a long time, we look forward to it." Persson added: "Of course fun, you always want to play. Fun to get to play matches and come back from a tough period, and nice that the body has held up well so far." He noted: "We have reached the final in the cup, of course we have done well. Then there are periods in matches that are worse and better, and some parts that we can improve. It has been good to get a receipt on where we stand." Persson also said: "It will be fun to see some familiar faces, fun to get to play against them, but you look forward most to everything starting. That there are some in the other team that I know and have a relationship with, I leave that aside when the match starts." Regarding Mjällby's title win, Persson said: "What can I say? You just have to tip your hat. You couldn't have imagined that three years ago. They have done incredibly well, it's hard to... much has been said. Just impressed, they were really deserved champions last year." He added: "Not that it would go so fast, that it would become a league title in a few years. But that they would always take steps forward I think you could see. They are very wise in many decisions, but I didn't think it would go fast." Kalle Karlsson told Fotbollskanalen: "It's clear that it's an advantage to come into a derby with players who have good experiences." Besara said: "We were not satisfied with our performance then, we felt we had more in us, but at the same time - derbies are derbies. They have to be played, and they have to be won. I don't care if we were bad if we won." He also said: "We don't think about history, it doesn't help here and now. We have to live in the moment and focus on the match because as I said, derbies live their own lives." Besara added: "Derbies separate themselves from other matches. It's about us coming out and being cool enough but at the same time switched on. It will be tough, but I feel we have the characters who can handle these matches. It will be fun to play." Paulos Abraham told Fotbollskanalen: "All matches are different, all matches look different and we can't live on past merits. There's a new match and you can't think too much about what has happened. But we are confident in ourselves, and we know we are strong in derbies." He also said: "I hope so, I think so. We are strong, have a good team and we have great chances to win." Abraham added: "It's tight. They have home advantage but we are strong in derbies. It's maybe a small advantage for us." He said: "These matches are so damn fun, I mostly feel joy about getting to play and I will enjoy a lot. Not many get to play this type of match, and it will only be fun. I'm eager." Kalle Karlsson told Fotbollskanalen: "I think a derby will always be hot, regardless of where a team is in the table or what results they come from, whether it has gone well or badly. I think there will always be something extra in a derby match." He also said: "I never speculate about such things. It's up to you in the media to make that kind of speculation. I try to avoid it as much as possible because I think it's completely uninteresting. When I worked in your industry, I speculated a lot about everything possible."
Hammarby are tipped to win Allsvenskan, according to tipping services, while Mjällby are tipped to finish second. The exact reason for Christer Mattiasson's red card remains unclear, as does the status of Paulos Abraham's injury and whether he will start. Djurgården's current league position is not consistently reported across sources.
Derbies live their own lives. We don't think about history, it doesn't help you here and now. It's about focusing on the match. Derbies live their own lives.
I think Djurgården will try to play the same match as they did last time. I think they did a really good match. Defended well and tried to go on counterattacks. The feeling is that it will look similar. They will be eager to try to break their negative trend in derbies.
I never speculate about such things. I think it's completely uninteresting.
If we start thinking about the record, it gets in your head. It's about taking the derby matches with the same attitude we've had since Jani (Honkavaara) came in.
Since he (Jani Honkavaara) has no connection to Stockholm and the derbies, he is quite chill. I think we did good performances in the derbies last year, but not in the results. We feel calm on the pitch and not tense as it may have been before.
It will probably be a hell of a match with both teams having a bit of revenge lust.
It will be fun of course. This is what we've been waiting for, we look forward to it.
It's of course important, but all matches are about three points. It's about being there from the start. Everyone is eager, it's something we've been waiting for a long time, we look forward to it.
Of course fun, you always want to play. Fun to get to play matches and come back from a tough period, and nice that the body has held up well so far.
We have reached the final in the cup, of course we have done well. Then there are periods in matches that are worse and better, and some parts that we can improve. It has been good to get a receipt on where we stand.
It will be fun to see some familiar faces, fun to get to play against them, but you look forward most to everything starting. That there are some in the other team that I know and have a relationship with, I leave that aside when the match starts.
What can I say? You just have to tip your hat. You couldn't have imagined that three years ago. They have done incredibly well, it's hard to... much has been said. Just impressed, they were really deserved champions last year.
Not that it would go so fast, that it would become a league title in a few years. But that they would always take steps forward I think you could see. They are very wise in many decisions, but I didn't think it would go fast.
It's clear that it's an advantage to come into a derby with players who have good experiences.
We were not satisfied with our performance then, we felt we had more in us, but at the same time - derbies are derbies. They have to be played, and they have to be won. I don't care if we were bad if we won.
We don't think about history, it doesn't help here and now. We have to live in the moment and focus on the match because as I said, derbies live their own lives.
Derbies separate themselves from other matches. It's about us coming out and being cool enough but at the same time switched on. It will be tough, but I feel we have the characters who can handle these matches. It will be fun to play.
All matches are different, all matches look different and we can't live on past merits. There's a new match and you can't think too much about what has happened. But we are confident in ourselves, and we know we are strong in derbies.
I hope so, I think so. We are strong, have a good team and we have great chances to win.
It's tight. They have home advantage but we are strong in derbies. It's maybe a small advantage for us.
These matches are so damn fun, I mostly feel joy about getting to play and I will enjoy a lot. Not many get to play this type of match, and it will only be fun. I'm eager.
I think a derby will always be hot, regardless of where a team is in the table or what results they come from, whether it has gone well or badly. I think there will always be something extra in a derby match.
I never speculate about such things. It's up to you in the media to make that kind of speculation. I try to avoid it as much as possible because I think it's completely uninteresting. When I worked in your industry, I speculated a lot about everything possible.