"We've never experienced anything like this"

Unusual circumstances. An unusual Peter Gerhardsson.

For once, the national team captain is throwing away his favorite cliché "one match at a time".

We've never experienced anything like this, he says ahead of Friday's European Championship qualifying match against France in Dijon.

It's not an insignificant match. A win or draw against France can give a slightly better starting position for next week's European Championship qualifying finale at Gamla Ullevi.

But even Peter Gerhardsson realizes that it's the home match against England on Tuesday that's crucial. Three points there and Sweden's European Championship ticket is secured.

During these years, we've never experienced anything like this. Either you have one match and then it's the one that counts, or you play a friendly match first. Now it's two competitive matches, but it's only the England match... if we win that, we're through to the European Championship, says Gerhardsson.

Avoiding the playoffs

With two rounds left, France tops the group with nine points, Sweden and England (who face bottom-placed Ireland on Friday) are on seven points each. Only the top two teams qualify directly for the European Championship in Switzerland 2025, while the third-placed team will play in the playoffs this fall.

You want to qualify directly. It would be a huge advantage, we'll do everything to grab that spot, says Barcelona forward Fridolina Rolfö.

If two teams end up on the same points, the head-to-head matches will decide. Since Sweden and England drew 1-1 at Wembley in April, it means that the team that wins in Gothenburg on Tuesday – regardless of the outcome of Friday's matches – will qualify for the European Championship.

Rolfö notes that a good result against France can make Sweden European Championship-qualified even with a draw against England. Therefore, she wants to focus all her mental energy on Friday's match.

It can give a huge advantage to pick up points in that match. So, the focus will be on France and then we'll take the next match afterwards, says Rolfö.

Risk of suspension

The France match poses several tough choices for the Swedish national team captain. Should he rest one of the six players – including Kosovare Asllani, Magdalena Eriksson, and Linda Sembrant – who will be suspended against England if they receive a yellow card? Or must he field his key players since the Swedish international pros haven't played a match in several weeks?

Sembrant knows what she prefers.

You always want to play, says the Bayern Munich defender.

But you might have to be a little smart in certain situations and not get a stupid card. But I hope I'll be okay, I don't usually get too many stupid cards.

The top two teams qualify directly for the European Championship in Switzerland 2025. The third and fourth teams will have to play in the playoffs this fall. To qualify for the European Championship via the playoffs, you need to win two double matches.

The standings in Sweden's group after four of six rounds: