Hammarby v Charleroi Preview: Tough test for the Zebras in Conference League qualification | OneFootball

Charleroi return to European football with a tough trip to the Swedish capital to face Hammarby. Charleroi beat Antwerp to secure the final ticket for European football last season, but will now need to make their way through Conference League qualification to make it to the group stages. Unlike Charleroi, Hammarby are up and running this season having played 17 games in the Allsvenskan already.

Charleroi have lost a key player since the end of the previous campaign, with Algerian midfielder Adem Zorgane leaving to join champions Union St Gilloise. Daan Heymans, one of the sides leading scorers, also left to join Genk. They still have quality in the side, but they would have preferred to have both available for the European qualification campaign. Nikola Stulic and Parfait Guiagon will be key when it comes to scoring the goals, while the impressive Yacine Titraoui will need to continue to perform at a high level.

Hammarby are in great form, sitting second in the Swedish top flight. The side have only lost three games this season, with three draws and 11 wins. In 17 games they have grabbed an impressive 31 goals, the second most in the league, with 14 conceded, the second least in Swedish football’s top flight. Charleroi will need to look out for the talented Nahir Besara. The 34-year-old is in his second spell with the club and has eight goals and two assists in 17 games. Besara is only two goals away from last seasons tally of 10.

The winner over the two legs will face a trip to Norway to face Rosenborg, or a trip to Lithuania to face Banga Gargzdai.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson