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Ambitious is an understatement. That is the conclusion that comes to those who follow FC Lugano’s pre-season press conference in the LAC cultural center, where the goals for the season are also formulated. Apparently, the club’s management agreed to formulate the goals for the season in a very offensive way. Sports director Carlos Da Silva (39) – as a footballer at home in attacking midfield – switches to attack mode. He says: “Our aim is to get into the top 3 in the championship, to get back to the cup final and win it, and in Europe we want to try to get through the group stage and be there in the spring.”
Da Silva’s goals are so daring that the joke is spreading fast in Ticino that Lugano had already secretly signed a loan deal with Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea. Of course it’s not like that. Lugano’s former cup winner coach Karl Engel (70), who has lived in Ticino for years, also thinks the goals are unusually bold, but still understandable and legitimate. “You don’t always have to talk yourself smaller than you are. FC Lugano has had two strong seasons and has become very stable. When you talk to exponents from other clubs, you realize that there is a lot of respect for Lugano everywhere.”
Last season’s performance with a 3rd place in the league and the cup final logically gives hope. “They say: a draw means a step backwards. So it is good that the club is ambitious. The idea of achievement is important. The players are not on holiday in Ticino,” says Engel. Only the cup victory as a goal is not quite right for him. “Something like this cannot be planned at all. I think it’s a gimmick from the club bosses, nothing more.”
Engel: “Crus will definitely feel the pressure”
If he was still on the couch himself, Engel would probably talk differently. Because such “un-Swiss offensive goals” are not really pleasant for a coach. The higher the expectations, the higher the fall height. Engel says, “Crus will definitely feel the pressure. But he’s done very well in the nearly two years he’s been in office. I trust he can handle the increased expectations.”
More pressure. Mattia Croci-Torti knows that too. “I deal with dealing with lofty goals. If I couldn’t, I’d be in the wrong place. I will do everything I can to ensure that we can achieve these goals. If we don’t make it, we analyze it together.” Still, it’s no wonder he wants to keep the ball as flat as possible. Croci-Torti emphasizes that delivering results in Europe and the Super League cannot be taken for granted. “From my time as an assistant coach, I know best how much energy Thursday’s Europa League games can take. We saw that last season at FC Basel and FC Zurich.”
Starts against Stade-Lausanne on Wednesday
It would be presumptuous to describe Lugano as a big transfer winner so far. The departures of Doumbia (Chicago Fire) and Daprelà (FCZ) weigh heavily. In addition, the departure of the top stars Aliseda and Celar is expected at any time. “We are prepared for every eventuality,” say those responsible. Croci-Torti says: “For our intensive program, the squad has to be complete.”
Croci-Torti and Lugano start the season late. The match against the promoted Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy was postponed to Wednesday due to too many big events in the region this weekend. The game in the Pontaise is unlikely to be a major scavenger hunt, but security forces would still be needed.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
