Football Season Guide

AIK nearly got relegated in 2023. They bounced back strong where they belong last season though. Finished in 3rd place and had the 2nd most wins W17 D3 L10. Only champions Malmo won more games last year. AIK achieved those wins despite having only the 6th best attack and the 6th best defence in Allsvenskan last season, 46-41 was the goal difference. Ioannis Pittas was the most important forward player. He finished 3rd in the Golden Boot race with his 14 goals. Pittas was sold this winter. Invested the money in singing another Cypriot striker Andronikos Kakoullis. He will be AIK’s number 1 option in attack in 2025. Coach Thomassen took the tough decision to release captain Alexander Milosevic in the winter. He hardly played in the last 2 years due to injuries. Still, his departure upset the dressing room. AIK still have 5 very experienced and battle-tested defenders in their ranks. New GK, Kalle Joelsson, also arrived and all this should bring better defensive record. The other notable departure was that of the young CM Lamine Dabo. He finished 2nd in the voting for Newcomer of the Year in 2024. His departure was well addressed. Added 3 new midfielders to the squad this winter. This should give flexibility and depth. The overall feel is that AIK strengthened during the off-season. However, they are not that experienced at managing European with domestic schedule. This leaves questions that need answering once the matches in Europe begin in July-August.