Swedish Allsvenskan Round 11: Sirius Loses Strong Team Aura, Varberg Secures Points Solidly

The 11th round of Swedish Allsvenskan continued in the early hours of May 28th Beijing time. Sirius, once a title contender just two seasons ago, has suffered too many heavy defeats this season, seemingly losing its mental attributes as a strong team. Last season's dark horse Varberg started poorly this season but has gradually found its form. Currently, their three victories have all come against teams of similar strength, which makes each win more meaningful than just three points.

Sirius faced IFK Göteborg in a match where keeping a clean sheet could mean victory. Sirius had a terrible performance last season, securing survival only in the last round. However, they started this season well with three consecutive home wins and remained unbeaten away until a disastrous 5-0 defeat at home to defending champions Malmö in the sixth round. Their home winning streak was quickly terminated, and they have recently suffered three consecutive losses. Currently, Sirius leads the relegation playoff zone by only one game, possibly reverting to the familiar rhythm of last season.

The reason why Sirius may still be a team striving for survival this season is their susceptibility to collapse. Only one-third into the season, Sirius has already suffered two major defeats with a five-goal deficit. They were crushed by last season's champions Malmö and runners-up Elfsborg. In these two matches, Sirius played very openly, indicating that they still see themselves as title contenders and are reluctant to dodge the opponent's edge. After consecutive defeats, can Sirius face their own strength?

IFK Göteborg currently has three points fewer than Sirius, but their recent form is undoubtedly better. After a 1-0 almost last-minute victory over Mjällby last round, Göteborg achieved consecutive unbeaten matches for the second time this season and temporarily squeezed into the safety zone. In the three victories this season, Göteborg managed to keep clean sheets, showing that defense is their key to victory. Göteborg faces significant pressure this season, not only relegation pressure but also the challenge from newly promoted Varberg, who currently sits third in the points table. The two teams drew in both encounters last season, but Göteborg's resurgence is evident, likely to play at their full potential, while Sirius has not shown signs of recovery yet. It is difficult to expect an outstanding performance from them in this match.

Norrköping faced Varberg. In the last four rounds, Norrköping only scored one point. After losing last round, they slipped into the relegation playoff zone. Norrköping's early season schedule was relatively difficult, and they have already played against the top three teams from last season. Surprisingly, they only lost to defending champions Malmö, runners-up Elfsborg, and third-placed Häcken have all become their defeated generals. It should be noted that they have won three games so far. Just as fans began to optimistically predict the team's prospects for the season, Norrköping started to drop the chain. When will the next wave of climax come for them?

Varberg currently has the same points as Norrköping, temporarily occupying the position of deputy head of the safety zone based on the advantage of the net win. This small team performed extremely well last season, eventually finishing fifth, but this season seems to be returning to a normal rhythm. In contrast to Norrköping, Varberg's performance has only recently improved, and they have only defeated teams of similar strength recently. Therefore, it seems easier for them to maintain their form. However, they have not yet won at home this season, which is a disadvantageous scoring mode for relegation teams. The two teams won their respective home games last season, and the significance of this match is definitely greater than three points. Both teams will take it seriously, and both teams are likely to play at their full potential.