Servette holds the lead, while Lausanne-Sport works to close the gap. Both teams arrive in excellent form for their first encounter of November.
A middle finger raised by a player towards the opposing fans, a celebration sparking a scuffle on the field that quickly ignited social media, a “graffiti operation on the stadium walls” carried out by disturbed fans on the night before the derby, and a flare incident delaying the match start by fifteen minutes. All this in just two years. The year 2020 transformed the rivalry between Lausanne-Sport and Servette into one of excesses.
Even when the level of football does not reach new heights, something always happens when these two teams come face to face. In collaboration with the relevant authorities, LS has been fine-tuning its security measures in the lead-up to Servette’s visit this Sunday, paying special attention to the delicate issue of managing the flow of opposing fans into the Tuilière.
Everything would be much easier if a bus system could transport them to the venue. However, this service has been discontinued since some grenade fans vandalized a vehicle during an away trip at the end of 2021. The company responsible for their transportation withdrew its service.
Servette reminded its supporters at the end of the week that the trip to Lausanne remains one of their most anticipated outings. Despite some downplaying its significance, the lacustrine derby still holds considerable importance. An estimated 1,000 to 1,500 fans are expected to head to the rival’s stadium on Sunday, ensuring the clash between these two neighbors stays true to its explosive reputation.
One can only hope that the anticipated explosiveness stays away from the streets and stadium surroundings and manifests on the pitch instead. This thought doesn’t come out of nowhere. For the first time in ages, all the ingredients seem to be in place for Lausanne and Servette to deliver a truly memorable football match.
The snapshot doesn’t tell the whole story. But when was the last time Lausanne-Sport (6) and Servette (2) faced each other in such flattering positions? While it may not be a return to the glorious 90s by the shores of Lake Geneva, it certainly seems to be inching closer.
Aspiration is no longer a taboo or a distant memory. Servette brought home the Cup last season, while Lausanne made a statement this summer, asserting their determination to regain a top-6 position in the Super League. Is it mere coincidence and pretty talk? Certainly not. Although perspectives on football may differ at the edge of the lake compared to the Olympic capital, both have managed to craft a project that is starting to yield results.
In the context of Swiss football, Servette’s approach increasingly resembles an anomaly. Jérémy Frick is entering his ninth consecutive season with the club. Miroslav Stevanovic is on his eighth, Steve Rouiller has seven, and Timothé Cognat six. No one in the Super League has managed or wished to create such stability over the years.
A popular notion suggests that continuity is one of the best predictors of football performance. Servette’s case supports this. And when stability, comprised of artists like Stevanovic or Cognat, meets players of the caliber of Dereck Kutesa (nine goals, top scorer in the Super League), it can create very spectacular phases of play.
Within such a rivalry, it’s not easy, but Lausanne-Sport must accept being behind their neighbor. Rather than seeing it as fate, the Vaudois are working hard to close the gap. They have chosen the active method: dictate the game, establish themselves in the opponent’s half, and provoke errors.
Ludovic Magnin even remarked that a “defender seeking comfort will never come to us,” highlighting how LS, even though it can become predictable, thrives on taking risks. This marks a shift from the years when it served as a punching bag for the rest of the league.
Lausanne will host Servette on Sunday on their synthetic pitch, having already claimed three consecutive victories. Meanwhile, Servette hasn’t shown a trace of defeat in their last seven league matches.
