The 6-1 rout suffered at the Vernets in the semi-final first leg had dashed the Grenat’s hopes of a final. They at least saved the honor by obtaining a 3-3 draw in the return, but that’s all.
In the National League, Genève-Servette stagnates in a disappointing 11th place, very far from the club’s ambitions. Last season, after their European success, they were released from the play-ins. This time, even participation in these, which include the clubs ranked 7th to 10th, is not guaranteed.
The dismissal of Jan Cadieux, with whom the team had been champion in 2023, did not bring the expected results. His former assistants Yorick Treille and Rikard Franzén have so far failed to put the group back on track.
Rumors of a new change to the squad are becoming more and more heard, even if sporting director Marc Gautschi recently said he wanted to finish the season in the current configuration. But the names of Gerard Gallant, former NHL coach who led Canada to the 2021 world title, and Christian Dubé, fired last spring by Fribourg-Gottéron, are circulating at the end of Lake Geneva.
What are the reasons why the team failed to get back on track? “If we knew, we would immediately change what is wrong,” Tanner Richard said. The Swiss international, interviewed by Keystone-ATS, expanded his analysis. “We lack consistency. It’s not enough to play well defensively for 55 minutes.”
The last matches have highlighted the fact that players lose patience and nerves too easily. The penalties they collect hurt the team. “It’s a bit of our Achilles heel this season. The opponents take advantage of it coldly. And we must admit that they sometimes want it more than us,” admits Richard.
Former club defender Goran Bezina is concerned about the situation. “Genève-Servette is currently lacking fire and character. It’s very simple: the players must now move, and quickly, because there is not much time left,” said the Valaisan.
“The positive aspect is that we still have 14 matches to play. Reaching the play-ins is in our hands,” emphasizes Tanner Richard. Finishing in the top 6 and therefore going directly to the quarter-finals, however, seems out of reach for the Genevans.
On Thursday, the Vernets club will play big in Lugano. The bianconeri, who are in 13th place, are a direct competitor. The program then, with six matches in eleven days, promises to be very extensive, especially as the Genevans will face Zug, Davos, Zurich and the leader Lausanne in particular before the national teams break at the beginning of February.
In these conditions, the flu which has taken hold in the garnet locker room does not help matters. But there is no more room for excuses. “For us, every match will now be like a play-off match,” concludes Richard.