Christian Schäfer - Der Professor

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JJK Jyväskylä stunned European football as they knocked FC København out in the UEFA Champions League Champions Second Qualifying Round. A 3-1 home victory in the first leg gave Ketut a solid platform to progress, and lost by only a goal to nil in the second leg as they marched beyond the much-favoured Danish champions.

Results

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3-1 Win vs FC København (H) Champions League 2nd Qual Rnd - 14/07/2027 Attendance: 2,100
It was a game which JJK started with plenty of nerves, as the Danish champions believed they would humiliate the Finnish side. An early goal for the visitors through Joris Kayembe settled JJK's nerves, however, and Christian Schäfer's side began to settle in to the game as time wore on. The much-criticised Daniel Norlund equalised for the home team before half-time, and Antti Pietilä gave JJK a shock lead just after. Daniel Norlund became the hero of the evening when he scored his second of the evening, and the visitors were left absolutely stunned.
Daniel Norlund (JJK) - 8.8/10

0-1 Loss vs FC København (A) Champions League 2nd Qual Rnd - 21/07/2027 Attendance: 30,319
JJK knew they would progress if they were to concede less than two goals, and they set themselves up in a defensive manner. The hosts piled the pressure on JJK, but Christian Schäfer's stars held on to the ball well in possession, and defended sturdily. Joris Kayembe gave the Danish side a lifeline in stoppage time of the first half, but they could not force another goal, and it was the Finnish side who progressed with a 3-2 aggregate victory, against all the odds.
Jaroslav Bures (FC København) - 9.0/10

UEFA Champions League Fixtures

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The draw for the UEFA Champions League Champions Third Qualifying Round was not too kind on JJK either. A difficult tie against Norwegian champions Rosenborg BK awaited Christian Schäfer & JJK, and the Fins knew they had it all to do to progress once more.

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July was an unimaginably highly-anticipated month for JJK. The month would begin with a Väli-Suomi derby fixture against KuPS, and it would also see JJK begin their UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign against FC København. Fans were hoping more memorable European nights, such as the ones they experienced last season.

Results

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1-1 Draw vs KuPS (A), Veikkausliiga - 04/07/2027 Attendance: 2,708
It was possibly one of the most exciting derby games in Finnish football in a long while as both teams took a gung-ho approach to the game. The deadlock was broken midway through the second half as Antti Pietilä gave JJK the lead, but they were left ruing not scoring a second as KuPS' Bashkim Berisha equalised in the eighty-ninth minute.
Mikael Luostarinen (JJK) - 7.7/10

0-0 Draw vs TPS (A), Veikkausliiga - 10/07/2027 Attendance: 1,562
It was a real stalemate as neither side even looked like threatening. JJK rested a number of key players ahead of their Champions League fixture, and it showed as they failed to live up to standard. They kept a clean sheet away from home, which they will be happy about, but they lacked any sort of attacking edge.
Mikko Järvenpää (JJK) - 7.5/10

3-1 Win vs FC København (H) Champions League 2nd Qual Rnd - 14/07/2027 Attendance: 2,100
It was a game which JJK started with plenty of nerves, as the Danish champions believed they would humiliate the Finnish side. An early goal for the visitors through Joris Kayembe settled JJK's nerves, however, and Christian Schäfer's side began to settle in to the game as time wore on. The much-criticised Daniel Norlund equalised for the home team before half-time, and Antti Pietilä gave JJK a shock lead just after. Daniel Norlund became the hero of the evening when he scored his second of the evening, and the visitors were left absolutely stunned.
Daniel Norlund (JJK) - 8.8/10

0-1 Loss vs FF Jaro (A), Veikkausliiga - 18/07/2027 Attendance: 1,332
In between Champions League fixtures, JJK rested their key players, and their results certainly showed. They struggled to cope with a much fresher FF Jaro side, and they had to accept defeat when they conceded a goal from a late penalty.
Jani-Petteri Soininen (FF Jaro) - 8.2/10

0-1 Loss vs FC København (A) Champions League 2nd Qual Rnd - 21/07/2027 Attendance: 30,319
JJK knew they would progress if they were to concede less than two goals, and they set themselves up in a defensive manner. The hosts piled the pressure on JJK, but Christian Schäfer's stars held on to the ball well in possession, and defended sturdily. Joris Kayembe gave the Danish side a lifeline in stoppage time of the first half, but they could not force another goal, and it was the Finnish side who progressed with a 3-2 aggregate victory, against all the odds.
Jaroslav Bures (FC København) - 9.0/10

1-1 Draw vs RoPS (A), Veikkausliiga - 24/06/2027 Attendance: 1,447
As before, JJK fielded a much weaker side that what played in the Champions League, and the result showed. RoPS took the lead in the second minute of the game, and JJK had to wait until the hour mark for Aleksis Lehtonen to level the score.
Topias Tammelin (JJK) - 8.0/10

1-1 Draw vs Rosenborg BK (A) Champions League 3rd Qual Rnd - 28/07/2027 Attendance: 20,223
It was another very tough fixture for JJK, but they knew they were in with a chance of progressing if they claimed one or two away goals, and did not concede too many. They defended brilliantly in the first half, and a penalty goal from Simon Thurling gave them a half-time lead. Rosenborg bit back in the second half, and Morango leveled the score, but JJK left the game much happier, with an away goal in their pocket and the score level.
Morango (Rosenborg BK) - 7.6/10

Overall: The consistency of JJK was absolutely terrible. If not for the Champions League results, Christian Schäfer would have been furious with his team. However, he ended July feeling very happy with his side's achievements in Europe, which certainly overshadowed their Veikkausliiga slump.

Player Of The Month

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Antti Järvinen was JJK's most consistent player of the month. The full-back played on the right hand side of the defence, and was responsible for many superb performances in Europe. His defensive ability and high work rate made him an important player at the club in Anselmi Nurmela's absence.

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Antti Järvinen's Season Stats:

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Overview Appearances: 22 Goals: 0 Assists: 5 (390 minutes per assist) MotM Awards: 1 Attacking Play Shots On Target Ratio: 00.00% (0/2) Dribbles Completed: 18 (0.82 per game) Key Passes: 42 (1.91 per game) Cross Completion Ratio: 12.42% (20/161) Defensive Play Key Tackles: 8 (0.36 per game) Tackles Won Ratio: 67.59% (73/108) Interceptions: 154 (7.00 per game) Mistakes: 44 (2.00 per game)

Disciplinary Record Fouls Committed: 26 (1.18 per game) Fouls Against: 9 (0.41 per game) Yellow Cards: 6 Red Cards: 0 General Play Pass Completion Ratio: 74.38% (870/1,186) Headers Won: 45 (2.05 per game) Distance Covered: 11.45km per game Key Moments: 50 (2.27 per game) Matches Won Ratio: 63.64% (14/22) Average Rating: 7.16 Assistant Manager's Report Current Ability: Potential Ability:

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Veikkausliiga

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A poor month of domestic football for JJK had taken a huge chunk out of their lead on top of the table. KuPS had climbed to second place, and were just three points behind JJK. With more European football to come for JJK, they needed to make their games in hand count, or potentially drop from the leading position.

August Fixtures

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August proved to be yet another exciting month for JJK fans. They had the return leg of their Champions League qualifier against Rosenborg to look forward to, as well as a Suomen Cup semi final against HIFK Fotboll. In the Veikkausliiga, JJK would have to compete against the likes of HIFK Fotboll, HJK and FC Inter Turku in yet another tough month.

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JJK Jyväskylä's run in the UEFA Champions League continued as they claimed a second leg victory over Rosenborg BK to win 2-1 on aggregate. The result saw the Finnish side progress to the Champions Playoff stage, and they were just one round away from competing in the group stage of the competition.

Results

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1-1 Draw vs Rosenborg BK (A) Champions League 3rd Qual Rnd - 28/07/2027 Attendance: 20,223
It was another very tough fixture for JJK, but they knew they were in with a chance of progressing if they claimed one or two away goals, and did not concede too many. They defended brilliantly in the first half, and a penalty goal from Simon Thurling gave them a half-time lead. Rosenborg bit back in the second half, and Morango leveled the score, but JJK left the game much happier, with an away goal in their pocket and the score level.
Morango (Rosenborg BK) - 7.6/10

1-0 Win vs Rosenborg BK (H) Champions League 3rd Qual Rnd - 04/08/2027 Attendance: 4,528
JJK produced an outstanding performance in the return leg. The home side defended solidly and retained possession of the ball too. Rosenborg created a number of good opportunities to score, despite JJK's best efforts, but goalkeeper Marko Leppänen produced a man of the match performance to keep his side a clean sheet. Tuomas Järvinen scored a header in the second half to secure passage to the next round for JJK, as Rosenborg were dumped out of the competition.
Marko Leppänen (JJK) - 8.2/10

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Previous Update: #127 - July 2027
Next Update: #129 - Youth Intake 2027

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A part of Christian Schäfer's proposed philosophy was to blend young players in to the senior squad, which was evident through the key roles played by Matias Kinnunen and Jyri Haapala, while Antti Punna, who was a member of the previous youth intake, had become a regular in the starting eleven for JJK. JJK's youth intake gave them the opportunity to develop youngsters from in and around Jyväskylä, and while this year's intake did not match the standards of the previous one, it was still one to be excited by.

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Name: Erkka Väisänen
Age: 16 (20/06/2011)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Jyväskylä (Finland)
Position: GK
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

Erkka Väisänen was the most exciting player to come through JJK's youth intake in 2027. The 194cm goalkeeper was an expert shot stopper and his ability in the air already matched that of many Veikkausliiga goalkeepers. He was certainly a raw talent, but one which the club's staff felt could become a key player for the senior team in the future, and many fans were expected to become eager to follow his progress.

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Name: Jouni Lahti
Age: 16 (11/02/2011)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Äänekoski (Finland)
Position: MC/AMC
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

Jouni Lahti was a creative midfield youngster capable of playing in central midfield, as well as behind the front line. He was a very fit player with a superb range of passing. He was remarkably intelligent for his age, and was expected to potentially play Veikkausliiga football sometime in his career.

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Name: Pasi Leppänen
Age: 16 (13/09/2010)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Jyväskylä (Finland)
Position: ML/AML/AMR
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

Pasi Leppänen was a very quick winger. His flair for the extraordinary made him stand out from others, but his low level of determination was sure to hinder his progress. His lack of any real technical or mental qualities meant that he would have to put many hours in to the training ground, but his pace made him a terrifying athletic quality.

If the month of July thought Christian Schäfer anything, it was that his squad required more depth in order to compete in all competitions. With that in mind, JJK Jyväskylä confirmed the signings of five new players as the transfer window reopened. The five signings cost the club just over €72k, bringing the club's transfer spending in 2027 to just over €138k.

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Name: Jonas Gunnarsson
Age: 20 (28/05/2007)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Mariehamn (Finland)
Position: MR/ML
Fee: €14,000
Signed From: IFK Mariehamn (Finland)
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

Jonas Gunnarsson was a player that interested Christian Schäfer ever since the German became manager of JJK. The twenty year old winger was a key part of IFK Mariehamn's team, and produced the second most assists in the Veikkausliiga in 2026 (11). JJK lacked quality in depth on the wings, and their fans were certainly hoping Gunnarsson would produce similar performances to the ones he showed while at IFK Mariehamn. However, they would have to wait as the winger arrived at JJK with a broken toe which would keep him out of action until September.

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Name: Ville Kauppinen
Age: 34 (10/01/1993)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Valkeakoski (Finland)
Position: GK
Fee: €10,000
Signed From: FC Haka (Finland)
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

With Tatu Österlund sidelines for the majority of the remainder of the season with a dislocated shoulder, JJK required a goalkeeper to challenge Marko Leppänen for the starting position. Ville Kauppinen was the perfect addition to the squad, in the eyes of Christian Schäfer. The thirty-four year old was the Veikkausliiga's best goalkeeper in 2026, according to pundits, as he kept nine cleansheets for a struggling FC Haka side. His experience in the Veikkausliiga was valued highly, and his shot stopping ability certainly made him a fantastic addition.

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Name: Marko Immonen
Age: 22 (27/06/2005)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Helsinki (Finland)
Position: DM/MC
Fee: €240
Signed From: HJK (Finland)
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

JJK lacked any natural defensive midfielder in their squad, and Marko Immonen was certainly seen as a long term solution. The highly rated youngster struggled to hold down a regular place at HJK, despite receiving international recognition as he represented Finland's U-21s team eight times. Immonen was an expert ball winner, and Schäfer envisioned him being the side's main defensive expert in midfield.

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Name: Marko Hakala
Age: 25 (21/09/2001)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Rovaniemi (Finland)
Position: DM/MC
Fee: €18,000
Signed From: RoPS (Finland)
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

Marko Hakala signed alongside Marko Immonen to add to the defensive roles in midfield. Hakala was a very important player for RoPS, and was named as their captain in 2026. Hakala was a fantastic team player, and was a very influential character in the dressing room. With him in the team, his team mates played at a higher level than ever before. On the pitch, Hakala was the best ball winner in the division, and was highly coveted by teams all around Finland. Christian Schäfer was hoping that Hakala would make an immediate impact on the squad's performances, and would be an influential character for the club's younger players.

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Name: Kenneth Koljander
Age: 20 (05/07/2007)
Nationality: Finnish
Place Of Birth: Tampere (Finland)
Position: MC/AMC
Fee: €30,000
Signed From: IFK Mariehamn (Finland)
Current Ability:
Potential Ability:

To add to the quality in midfield, Kenneth Koljander was signed. The young midfield star was a key member in IFK Mariehamn's Suomen Cup winning squad in 2026, and was rewarded for a terrific season with his international debut for Finland in November 2026. The midfield playmaker possessed sensational technical qualities and his attacking vision was a key factor in IFK Mariehamn's strong performances in recent years. JJK fans were more than excited to see Koljander make his debut for the club, but he would be sidelines for the remainder of the current season with an achilles tendon injury.

First there was FC København. Then there was Rosenborg BK. After that, there was only one more round of football to progress from for JJK Jyväskylä in order to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage. They had overcome the odds on many occasions already, but they were put up against stern opposition in the form Dinamo Zagreb in the next round.

The first leg of the tie would be played at Maksrimir in Zagreb, Croatia. The return leg in Finland was to be contested at the Veritas Stadion in Turku, with JJK's stadium not complying with UEFA's minimum seating requirements. Despite not playing at their actual stadium, Christian Schäfer was confident of his side's chances of progressing, and he was proud of the achievements of his side in Europe up until the play-offs.

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Christian Schäfer:

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"Competing against Dinamo Zagreb is an exciting prospect for this football club. They are a fantastic club with plenty of European experience, and they even won the Europa League in the 1960s. They have a number of top players in their such as Ryan Gauld, Moi Gómez, Victor Wanyama, Liam Moore and Domagoj Puskaric, and I know they will be a tough test for us.

Our experience in Europe this season has been fantastic for the players, for the fans and for the club. We have overcome the odds against two top teams from fellow Scandinavian countries, so I guess we can crown ourselves as the kings of Scandinavia! Our progress to the play-offs means that no matter what happens against Dinamo, our European campaign does not end here. Victory will see us reach the Champions League group stage, which is where we dream of playing. Defeat, on the other hand, will see us compete in the Europa League group stage, which is still an absolutely phenomenal achievement for this football club.

Financially, we will grow a lot no matter the result. Of course, Champions League football would see this club receive an unbelievable amount of money, but Europa League would still guarantee a great deal of financial security for the club. With the money that the club will receive, we can certainly look forward to upgrading the facilities of the club, and we will also be looking at the long term future of where we will be playing our football, whether that be at Harjun Stadion, or elsewhere. But that is a discussion for another day, when the season is over.

The great news for this football club is that our coefficient ranking will improve drastically for next season. Reaching the group stage of a European competition, as we have secured regardless of our upcoming tie, will see us move up in European football and we will have a good seeding next season, if we qualify for Europe again. Hopefully the nation's coefficients will rise significantly too, and make progress towards the clubs entering European competition in later rounds, and even more clubs qualifying for Europe. This would be the ideal scenario for the club, but we are aware that it is something which only happens long term, and we hope that consistent European campaigns will see the nation's qualification places improve."

Fans of JJK Jyväskylä were in absolute euphoria as they witnessed their team progress beyond Dinamo Zagreb to qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Following a 1-1 draw in Croatia, JJK held on for a goalless second leg at the Veritas Stadion in Turku, Finland to defeat a team who had been champions of the Croatian league for twenty-two years running.

It was an incredible achievement for the football club, who had become only the second Finnish team to have ever reached the group stages of the Champions League, following HJK's group stage performance in the 1998/1999 season. It was a remarkable achievement for JJK, who's evolution under Christian Schäfer's guidance had given birth to host of remarkable achievements.

Results

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1-1 Draw vs Dinamo Zagreb (A) Champions League Playoff Leg 1 - 17/08/2027 Attendance: 21,054
JJK knew that an away goal would be crucial if they were to beat the odds and defeat Dinamo Zagreb, but the home side had turned up the heat from the very first minute. New signing Marko Hakala was kept busy in JJK's midfield, as he constantly worked to break down Dinamo's onslaught of attacking moves. Jyri Haapala was the hero for JJK in the first half, as he converted a rebound from Daniel Norlund's speculative effort, and JJK lead at the break. Dinamo came back in to the second half with a vengeance, Zvonimir Gabeljic leveled the game after five minutes. Matias Kinnunen was sent off for a two footed challenge, but JJK held on for the remainder of the game, and came away from Croatia with a valuable draw, and an away goal.
Ryan Gauld (Dinamo Zagreb) - 8.3/10

0-0 Draw vs Dinamo Zagreb (H) Champions League Playoff Leg 2 - 25/08/2027 Attendance: 5,106
It was a truly inspiring defensive performance from JJK. Ville Kauppinen was kept busy in goals, as made another of high profile saves, and claimed a number of crosses. In front of him, Anselmi Nurmela and Tuomas Järvinen gave outstanding performances to withstand Dinamo's aggressive attack. Ryan Gauld ran the show for the away team, but his best efforts were not enough as JJK held out to keep Dinamo at bay, and deny them a goal in the second leg. The full-time whistle signaled the end of the game, and booked JJK a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Ryan Gauld (Dinamo Zagreb) - 8.2/10

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Christian Schäfer:

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"It was incredible, truly incredible. We gave everything we could on the pitch over the two legs and we got our just-rewards. I never imagined we could come this far, but the players showed their true colours and did their club proud. This is an achievement that will live long in the hearts of everybody associated with the club, and it is a reward for believing in what we stand for, even when under pressure.

The club went through hell and back over the last fifteen years, but it has come out stronger than ever. After all the horrid times the fans experienced, a light at the end of the storm came and we are now in dreamland. It feels like a fairytale, to be honest, and one we would very much like to continue. Wow, just wow!"