Marco Schällibaum's team will start the 24/25 season just 50 days after winning the second leg of the barrage and thus securing their place in the league. At the press conference, Schällibaum called for humility: ‘First we have to deliver and accept the fight. Then things can happen.’
GC Zurich played four friendly games during pre season. Now a first acid test awaits with the away game in Lugano. ‘We have to show what we can do on the pitch and get results,’ says captain Amir Abrashi. The last away win in the championship in Ticino came in September 2017. Since then, GC has lost twice at the Cornaredo and drawn six times.
Last season's runners-up are determined to compete for the title again this season. In Zanotti and Dos Santos, the Ticino side have made two big-name signings. In preparation, Mattia Croci-Torti's team played a total of five test matches, three of which they won. The CSSL season now kicks off at home against GC Zurich before hosting Fenerbahçe Istanbul in the Champions League qualifiers next Tuesday.
Head coach Marco Schällibaum will be without Joshua Laws and Michael Kempter against the Ticino side. Centre-back Joshua Laws has undergone surgery; no details can yet be given on the length of his recovery time. Michael Kempter is still in recovery training. Otherwise, Schällibaum has the entire squad at his disposal.
The train departs from platform 18 at 12:32. You can find more information about the train at www.sektoriv.ch. If you can't make it to Ticino, you can follow the game as usual on 86live via live ticker and radio.
