Ever since the damallsvenskan started in 1988, the series has had twelve teams. It has been played 22 rounds and Malmöklubben FC Rosengård has in its various guises won the most titles.
The extension with two teams has been discussed for a long time. Among the advantages that are highlighted has been that more matches have been the heaviest. More matches create a different intensity and a better training environment.
– I think it can make you develop faster. It can benefit one’s own career and also the national team, I think, says Linköping’s national team midfielder Nilla Fischer.
– The youth national team can benefit from it, and then in the end the A national team. I think it’s great to get that chance as a youngster to play against very good teams, against very good players as it is still in the Allsvenskan.
– “It’s exciting to play against more teams and also more new teams,” says Nilla Fischer, who is still a little worried that the results will spread.
Photo: Elin Åberg
She herself made her debut in the highest series 22 years ago, in Kristianstad, and has now made it through another pre-season. A rupture and then covid has disturbed her during the charge. But the 38-year-old played 90 minutes in the rematch against AIK and feels ready.
– I have been away for three or four weeks from football training so I feel good, but it’s just to train in a race and get into the rhythm.
Last year’s six Linköping starts the league game against Vittsjö at home. After that, Eskilstuna waits before encountering the first newcomer – IFK Kalmar in the third round.
The other teams that taken the step up in the damallsvenskan for this season is the debutant BP and returning Umeå IK.
– It is exciting to play against more teams and also more new teams, depending on who qualifies each year. Maybe everything will be really good already this year. I do not want to say anything bad about the fact that we have expanded, but we will see in terms of results how it will be, says Fischer.
– Nilla Fischer wants to see her Linköping join and fight for places high up in the table.
Photo: Elin Åberg
Is there a concern that there may be matches where the result runs away?
– To expand the series, we have to start and then those who take care of it get to evaluate after the season. You also have to do it for clubs to see that you may have to increase the amount of training, have other types of players. It is in the matches that it is visible.
– And of course it is so that two years ago we lost 1-7 against Rosengård and 0-7 against Häcken, so it can happen anyway. Apparently.
Such results think Nilla Fischer will not let Linköping perform this season. The club aims high and wants to be high up in the cluster that is expected to form behind Rosengård, which is seen as a sky-high pre-favorite.
Last year, when the season was summed up, only five points differed between third Kristianstad and eighth Örebro.
– We want to be at the top and fight. Then there should always be a post in, it should be injury-free. But we go in before every match and want to win and think we should win, says Nilla Fischer.
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