Hammarby drew 1-1 with Czech side Slovan Liberec in their first training match under new coach Kalle Karlsson. Young talents Oscar Steinke Brånby and Björn Hedlöf impressed greatly, while Nahir Besara was praised for giving the penalty to Paulos Abraham. The match maintained high intensity during the camp in Marbella.
Hammarby kicked off 2026 with a training match against Slovan Liberec in Marbella, ending 1-1. On January 19, Kalle Karlsson lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, emphasizing basics and hard work. In the 22nd minute, left-back Oscar Steinke Brånby, 19, won a penalty, which captain Nahir Besara gave to Paulos Abraham. Abraham scored and described Besara as 'an incredible captain and person and like a big brother outside.' Besara said Abraham deserved it after being 'incredibly good for us over a long time' and mentioned a deal to yield penalties if leading by two goals.
The match featured high intensity, tough duels, and heated discussions, despite being preseason. The Czechs equalized from a penalty in the second half. Coach Karlsson was pleased: 'It was a positive performance; we talked about the basics and doing the hard work, and I think we did that.'
Young talents shone. Steinke Brånby, who joined the academy at 15 and signed an A-team contract in December, was praised by Karlsson as 'a damn fun player' and 'not shy at all.' Captain Besara called him 'a great player, skilled in what he does.' Brånby himself said: 'I see it as fuel to work even harder.' Center-back Björn Hedlöf, 17, who joined from Täby a year ago, was described by Besara as winning 'every duel' and by Karlsson as 'very stable' and 'taking charge.' Hedlöf humbly rated himself a three out of five after his debut.
The next match is against Pardubice the following day, with the Marbella camp running until February 6. Starting lineup: Felix Jakobsson – Hampus Skoglund, Victor Eriksson, Björn Hedlöf, Oscar Steinke – Markus Karlsson, Frank Junior Adjei, Nahir Besara – Oscar Johansson Schellhas, Paulos Abraham, Obilor Okeke.
