In the top European championships, the winners have finally been determined. But there are countries where the matches of the new season have already started. For example, Sweden, which plays according to the “spring-autumn” system.

During the game of one of the oldest teams in the country, a very strange incident occurred. An employee of the club quietly made his way to the judges’ room and left a strange gift on the floor.

The shock was such that I had to call the police …

Major breakthrough

In the Scandinavian countries, despite the difficult climatic conditions, football is simply adored. For example, the GAIS club from Gothenburg has a home stadium with a capacity of almost 20,000 spectators, and there are no problems with attendance. But we are talking about the second-ranked league!

As befits a club from the country’s second largest city, GAIS has a long history dating back to 1894. However, for more than half a century the team has not known the taste of real trophies. The last time she won the Swedish Championship was 69 years ago, in 1954.

Photo: © Nils Petter Nilsson / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Last season the club became the winner of the third division and now plays in the second league. There is only one season left before the main championship of the country. It must be admitted that the team is going very well for a newcomer: after nine rounds (almost a third of the matches), GAIS is in the top three. The principle of moving to the elite in Sweden is the same as in Russia: the first two places go automatically, and the third and fourth play “junctions” with the outsiders of the major league.

strange message

Naturally, the burden of responsibility puts pressure not only on the players, but also on all employees. One of them is ex-football player Niklas Karlstrem, who did not shine much during the years of his career as a player, and now works as a manager in GAIS. But now Karlstrom just lights up. During a home match with the Yonkoping Sedra club, a 56-year-old man made a real commotion.

At the end of the first half, the hosts’ Nigerian attacker with a speaking surname Friday was sent off for the second yellow card, and at the end of the match, GAIS conceded the ball and lost 0:1. The emotional ending was also marked by some controversial referee decisions. The losers had every right to post-match claims against the judges.

Home stadium of FC “GAIS” / Photo: © Tony Marshall / EMPICS / Contributor / PA Images / Gettyimages.ru

However, the owners have found a more sophisticated method to “thank” the referees for their work. When referee Strömbergsson and his colleagues opened the door to the judges’ room, they found a very unexpected picture. On the floor, as if on a grave, lay three red roses. The referees considered this gesture a threat, so they immediately reported the incident to the Swedish Football Association and the police.

“I just love to joke”

A day later, the team itself “surrendered” the author of the controversial act. The club suspended Karlström from work indefinitely. Niklas himself stated that he just wanted to joke.

“My action, of course, did not imply any threat. I am not a dangerous person. I’m a guy who just loves to joke. It was the same in my football life. Often I think about how to pin up the guys. If someone forgets their car keys in the cabin, I can get in the car and park it somewhere else. This is who I am,” Karlström proudly told Goteborgs Posten.

Photo: © Nils Petter Nilsson / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

According to the man, the idea with roses came to him spontaneously. It happened when he gave two bouquets of flowers to the under-tribune room to reward the best players of the match.

What was I thinking, why did I do it? I don’t know, Karlström says.

Now Niklas will have to sit without work for some time. The joke turned against the joker. Probably, in the future, the GAIS manager will try to keep his non-standard sense of humor in check.