Football Season Guide

Aalesund pulled off a pretty unlikely promotion at the end of last season, catching fire at th right moment and getting through a few tight moments to progress in the play-offs. They looked like a mid-table side in the OBOS Ligaen for most of the year but lost just one of the last nine games and that was enough to see them finish fourth in the standings. Then, in the first play-off round, they were heading for exit at home to Egersund but a goal in the second minute of added time forced a 1:1 draw and extra time, where they two goals to win. They needed extra time to beat Konsvinger as well, 4:5 in the next round, before outclassing Eliteserien dropouts Bryne over two legs in the final round, with a 4:0 away win in the first leg doing the damage. Thus, the Tangerines are back in the big time for a first time since 2023 and the aim is to be a lot more competitive and capable of lan sing punches against better sides. Kjetil Rekdal has a pretty set in stone system with three across at the back and two mobile forwards and not much is going too change in terms of personnel. The main and probably only change that is likely to happen in the regular starting 11 at least initially is in goal as veterans Stian Grytebyst has been moved on and Kristoffer Klaesson arrived as a new signing, fresh from being the regular for champions Viking last season. He does have his flaws but is certainly a very talented goalie and a real catch for a club of Aalesund's size. The other main weapons for Aalesund are their togetherness and work rate in midfield where Elvind Melland and Hakon Hammer do have experience at this level and can hold their own. Yet the quality of the strike duo in Paul Ngongo and Kristian Lonelu is definitely questionable and on first sight they seem like players who will not get goals at this level too easily. Overall, Aalesund look like the main relegation candidate on first look and it will take a strong start and some handy wins in the opening games to change the narrative around the squad.