Veilchen take on SK Brann in the UWCL qualifiers

The Veilchen face a tough challenge on Tuesday in the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers. In SK Brann, they will come up against a team that has been a well-known name in international women’s football for several years. Whilst the first leg will take place away in Bergen on 25 August at 6.00 pm, the return leg will be played a week later on 2 September at 6.00 pm at the Franz-Horr-Stadion.

Vienna was just waking up when the Violets set off for the airport on Monday morning. The flight to Bergen in northern Norway took two and a half hours. By the afternoon, they were already taking a close look at the ground where the Violets would play the first leg against SK Brann on Tuesday.

The Violets in Q3 for the second time

The third qualifying round is the final hurdle before the Champions League group stage – a target they are determined to reach this year. The Violets reached Q3 last year as well, but were defeated by Paris FC and therefore failed to progress to the group stage of the UWCL. This year, SK Brann once again presents a formidable opponent, but one they intend to face with a united front.

A wealth of international experience

SK Brann certainly has no shortage of international experience. Their greatest success on the international stage to date came in the 2023/24 season, when they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Last season, the Norwegians also reached Q3, where they were knocked out by Manchester United before dropping down to the second qualifying round of the Europa Cup. However, they were then defeated by Hammarby there as well. In the Norwegian Toppserien, Brann recently secured the league title and, as a club, generally stands out for having the highest attendance figures in Norwegian women’s football.

Kenesei: “A major hurdle & a great experience”

Head coach Stefan Kenesei knows what sort of opponent the Veilchen are up against in Brann and takes a realistic view of the clash: “We’re facing a very tough away match in Bergen, against a team with international experience that has also frequently competed in the Champions League. It’s sure to be an exciting match and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll, of course, do everything we can to come home from Norway with a decent result and then give it our all again in the return leg in front of our fans, hopefully securing our first-ever qualification. However, we’re also travelling to Norway knowing that, even if we don’t get promoted, we’ll still be playing in European competition. We’ll do everything we can to reach the group stage, but it’s a very big hurdle to overcome. Nevertheless, we’re really looking forward to it and it’s sure to be a great experience for our team.”

Match to be shown live at the Viola Pub for the first time

The match takes place on Tuesday 25 August in Bergen at Brann Stadium. The Viola Pub will open for the first time on Tuesday for a women’s international away match and will broadcast the match live. Please register at reservierung-viola@aramark.at.