Goalie Mall about Servette-Hoch: “We could have lost almost everything in a week”

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No other Swiss team has played as many games as Servette. On Saturday the “Grenats” will play their 42nd serious match this season at home against St. Gallen. But there is no sign of loss of strength. “The best thing as a football player is to play every three days,” says goalkeeper Joel Mall (32).

After Sunday’s victory in the top battle against YB, the Aargauer said in front of the TV cameras that Servette might now also be noticed in the German-speaking Swiss media. “I then received a lot of messages from colleagues who sent me reports,” Mall says to Blick, laughing.

Servette is the team of the hour – and back in vogue in German-speaking Switzerland. The Genevans have won seventeen championship titles in their glorious past, although the last was a quarter of a century ago. Now the gap with the weak leader YB is still four points. “Playing against us is very difficult,” Mall said. Servette has lost only one of the last eighteen competition matches.

Special goalkeeper situation

Mall doesn’t want to make big statements. “Even though it is a cliché: we look from game to game. And ultimately we want to get the most out of all three competitions.” The fans could dream, but as a team they remained realistic. “With three losses, almost everything could have been over in a week,” says Mall. But it isn’t – on the contrary. Thanks to three clean sheets in Razgrad, Bern and Delémont, Servette continues to experience three happy moments.

In the knockout matches, Jérémy Frick is usually between the posts, Mall is number 1 in the competition. This situation is of course special, says Mall. “You never have ultimate certainty. But we are both over 30 and know how to deal with the situation.” Communication from the coach is important and this is also very good towards the team. «René (Weiler, editor) has a clear plan. We know where we stand.”

A turbulent year and a half

Mall is experiencing its umpteenth spring in Geneva. In the summer of 2022, after four years in Cyprus, he was on the verge of giving up his career. But the former Swiss youth international stayed and now also plays for the national team of the Mediterranean country. Last summer he moved to Geneva, where Mall started to take off with Servette. “I am incredibly grateful that my career has taken this turn.”

Now he is reaping the rewards of his hard work and the many sacrifices he has made in Western Switzerland. “Geneva is very cool, both as a club and as a city,” says the father of two, who lives with his family near the city center. Due to the many matches, the wife and children currently have to wait a little longer, because five more matches will follow within 16 days, including the two round of 16 matches in the Conference League against Viktoria Pilsen. Despite the many absences, Mall is enjoying the moment. ‘We have a good atmosphere in the dressing room. It’s cool to be part of this project.”

Source : Blick