IFK’s 6th Straight Win After Christmas | [Year] Update

Christmas day meant a gathering in Arena Skövde for the IFK squad after a few days of collective time off from handball.
On Saturday, IFK ends 2025 at home – after three consecutive away games.

– Hope that the audience is as excited and longing as we are. It is incredibly important and appreciated, says Axel Franzén, 29, the team’s own granite rock from Bohuslän.

IFK takes on the reigning Swedish champions Ystads IF based on a blue and white home streak in the bag with five wins in a row.
Should we then wish “good luck” – in a double sense?

– Certainly a lovely streak, but no guarantee of a sixth victory. But we have certainly built something nice that we would like to take forward together with our supporters.

The Lysekil son talks about strengthened self-confidence. Autumn’s 18 total points recorded so far are also proof that the Skövde team has managed to handle wear and tear and demands.
Only seven players out of 23 have played all 16 games. Middle-six Franzén is one of these – despite both a concussion and strep throat in November.

– I was lucky as far as the schedule was correct, so that I had time to recover in time for the upcoming match. But there wasn’t much training in between…

Have you sacrificed extra for the team?

– Rather say it this way, that we completed a very good pre-season and came strongly equipped. In addition, there is an ongoing dialogue with physical trainers and the medical team where it feels like we are doing the right thing together for the good of our bodies. Also around recovery, diet and sleep.

Bohuslänsk granite, from the rocks outside Lysekil, is known for being robust and durable. And certainly the new acquisition has delivered on par with the “top acquisition” that he was presented with.
Central defensive play as third in the center block has combined with 63 goals forward; a respectable average of four complete hits per match. And very few barriers… a result that only the Önnered icon Andreas “Stycket” Nilsson can match in the same position.

– I’m not the one who looks at the statistics and cares about my own numbers. The team’s performance surpasses everything else, Axel responds to that remark.

Nor does he complain about injuries and illnesses within the squad. But refers to the competitors, on the theme that “it’s the same for everyone, and things that even out”

– By and large, all teams are forced, more or less, to puzzle from match to match. One can only hope that Christmas has strengthened us in IFK Skövde. The win up in Västerås the week before the break gave us at least the mental boost we needed. And the Swedish champions (Ystads IF) wish to defeat everyone…

FACTS / The home suite; with five consecutive winning matches:
Oct 9: OV Helsingborg (35-33)
Oct 21: Eskilstuna Guif (33-25)
Nov 13: VästeråsIrsta (29-28)
Nov 21: Karlskrona (37-28)
Nov 27: Alingsås (28-21)

FACT / The Iron Gang; the only seven IFK players who have participated in all 16 league matches during the autumn:
Jonas Burud, Herman Dyberg, Axel Franzén, Jacob Gustavsson, Fidel Mbumba, Jonas Samuelsson, Markus Sjöbrink.

Text: Kjell-Ove “KOA” Andersson
Photo: Viktor Ljungström (archive)

The match on Saturday, December 27, against the reigning Swedish champions Ystads IF kicks off at 15:00 in Arena Skövde. Entrances and Blå Torget open at 1:30 p.m. Welcome!

You can buy a ticket here: ifkskovdehandboll.ticknetco.events

(Last home game this year – gather the friends to start charging for the New Year’s celebration)