For two years in a row, Gothenburg has finished second in the Damallsvenskan.

Ahead of the 2020 season, the team has invested hard, and among other things recruited national team striker Stina Blackstenius from Linköping. But in recent months, the team has suffered two major breakdowns. First, in April, team captain Beata Kollmats injured a cross band, and then - as late as last week - it was announced that national team player Elin Rubensson is pregnant and therefore canceling the season.

With these two picks, Gothenburg now has only 15 outside players in the squad. It can become noticeable when an unusually intense season awaits now, given the delayed start of the season.

- Gothenburg, together with others, will have challenges. It will be noticeable, absolutely, says Frida Östberg.

However, Östberg emphasizes that Gothenburg has a very strong starting elf. For example, former national team back Emma Berglund is back after a long injury absence, and so the team has recruited national team players such as Emma Kullberg, Filippa Angeldahl and previously mentioned Stina Blackstenius.

- But Emma Berglund has to be calculated that she has been injured for many years, so I can't imagine she will be able to go in and play as many matches in a short time as it is now, says Östberg, and continues:

- And in front of Berglund and Kullberg you have Filippa Angeldahl and then Blackstenius in front of her. So the whole central line is new. And I think that will affect Gothenburg's chances. I think you will be very uneven, they need to play together. They have fantastic football players - no talk about it - but I think it will affect them not knowing each other.

- If you compare Rosenborg, who is the biggest challenger, they also have a thin squad. But it's a squad that knows each other very well and they still have the coach, so everyone knows everyone and there is a clarity there.

ARCHIVE: Rosengård got a gold rush in 2019 (October 20):

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