Häcken coach Elena Sadiku and forward Anna Anvegård on their UEFA Women's Europa Cup final against Swedish rivals Hammarby
Friday, April 24, 2026
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"It is two teams that will do everything to win the game, both home and away," says coach Elena Sadiku as she prepares to lead Häcken into their two-legged UEFA Women's Europa Cup final against Hammarby.
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Häcken are taking on Hammarby in the all-Swedish final of the first edition of the UEFA Women's Europa Cup, with coach Elena Sadiku and forward Anna Anvegård hoping to steer the Gothenburg side to victory against their Stockholm-based opponents.
Hired to coach Häcken at the end of 2025 after guiding Celtic to domestic title success in Scotland, Sadiku played for Hammarby in 2017 before injury forced her to retire aged 23. Anvegård, meanwhile, played in Women's Champions League qualifying with Rosengård, then had an adventure in England with Everton before returning to Sweden to join Häcken in 2022. They shared their thoughts with UEFA ahead of the first leg of the final.
On the all-Swedish final against Hammarby
Anvegård: "Playing finals is what you want, they’re the most fun matches. Playing for a European title is incredible. It feels special as well because it’s against Bajen, there’s a big rivalry between us. You don’t need much more than that, you’re more than motivated enough for the match."
Sadiku: "It is two teams that will do everything to win the game, both home and away. They are a very skilful team, and we are aware that there [are things] that we need to look out for, but as with all teams there are also things where we can [punish] them. We are well prepared and we know that it will be a hard game. But we have worked so hard to get here, so we will do everything in our power to reach the goal line."
Anvegård: "We are still a young team and there are probably quite a few who haven’t played these kinds of matches before. For someone who has been there before, it’s about trying to spread calm and if they’re asking, just be open and say that you will probably be a bit more nervous, but that’s fine. I’ve got a good feeling that they will handle it very well."
On Häcken's strengths
Sadiku: "Intensity, creating goal opportunities. We are strong on counterattacks, create many goal opportunities and intensity in pressing. It is a special team, both staff and players. It is so good to go to work every morning because we enjoy each others company and we have all built a strong culture and environment that makes it enjoyable."
Anvegård: "We enjoy each other’s company and have fun in training, but we can switch on when it matters. Then our transition game. We have quick players and many who can play decisive passes, so we are very dangerous. And the third, I’d say our hard work defensively. We work hard for each other, we sacrifice ourselves and we are very good at defending our goal."
On what it would mean to win the title
Anvegård: "It would be amazing. You want to give back as much as possible to a club that has really believed in you. When we won the long-awaited league title in the autumn, it felt like we could finally give something back. Now you just want to build on that. The feeling when we won in the autumn was one of the best days and weeks of my life. I hope it will be something similar if we manage to win now as well."
Sadiku: "I would say, everything. If there is anything I want to do, it is to celebrate the title with these people. I feel quite strongly about them already. It hasn't been a long time but I really feel that I want to do everything for them, everything for the club. I love my job and it there is anything I want to do it would be to lift a title with them."
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