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The mice against the bees. Theoretically, you might think this is a children’s fairy tale. But Solothurn and Neuchâtel did not make peace at the end of the story. On the contrary. Even before the second game of the Swiss League final kicks off, the Olten and La Chaux-de-Fonds players are arguing.
But what really happened when the warm-up lasted less than a minute and most of the La Chaux-de-Fonds players were already back in the dressing room? No one knows for sure, but everything revolves around one man: Neuchâtel defender Colin Fontana.
So let’s put the question to the main character. What happened? “I was ready,” says the HCC number 67. “A man came up to me and I had to protect myself and the team.” And what did the Olten player say that a fistfight ensued? “I don’t know. I wasn’t really listening to him. He put his hand on my face, insulted me and that was it.”
Moments later, three Solothurners came upon him and beat him up. At the end of the brawl, Colin Fontana is even without a warm-up shirt. The argument doesn’t seem to have had a big impact on him: “I like to make contact with the opponent… In fact, I feel the need to do that.”
Huguenin and Antonietti as police officers
After the warm-up, a player on both sides tried to calm everyone down: Anthony Huguenin for the visitors and Eliot Antonietti for Olten.
“I didn’t get too involved in the fights,” said the Neuchâtel defender. “I try to avoid arguing, because that can go too far.” However, with a teammate like Colin Fontana, it’s almost unavoidable. The Ticino defender is known as an over-the-top player. “It’s better to have him on your team than against you,” emphasizes Anthony Huguenin.
And if any player knows anything about it, it’s the firefighter on duty on Solothurn’s side, Eliot Antonietti. The Vaud resident near Olten played with Colin Fontana in Biasca and tells us of the incident during the warm-up: “As far as I understand there was a hit on one of our players. Did we agree in advance? “I don’t know, I didn’t see it. But I know Fontana picked us up in the middle of the ice in La Chaux-de-Fonds on Wednesday. I told him to go a little further, but he wouldn’t.”
“I don’t feel like boxing”
Eliot Antonietti, who remained calm despite his team’s defeat (1:3), did not want to worry about the argument. “I don’t find it interesting, so I went up to everyone and said, ‘Guys, we can fight all night if you want, but what’s the point?'”
The Olten defender also saw mobile phones being brought out on the bench of La Chaux-de-Fonds to take videos. The specter of a hefty fine loomed over the rink and Eliot Antonietti wanted to prevent that. “An ice hockey game is played on the ice for 60 minutes,” he said. “I don’t feel like boxing and certainly don’t want a teammate getting injured. I think there are smarter things to do.”
“Neither hot nor cold”
And how did you react in the locker room after the fight? Eliot Antonietti commented: «Personally, I find it neither hot nor cold. But I think there are players who need something like that to live, others who don’t give a fuck – sorry for the expression – and others who don’t like it and feel disturbed by it.”
On the other hand, the argument seemed to have heated things up a bit. “It’s good for us because some guys came to help me – it’s important to protect yourself in the team,” said Colin Fontana.
“That gives you a little more motivation to drive them into the parade,” notes Anthony Huguenin. “And you need guys who can get into the heads of opponents. When warming up, ten of them attacked Fontana and that sapped their energy a bit. He took a few hits for us and I think that helped us win the game.”
Same in game 3?
Eliot Antonietti does not quite share this assessment: “I know the man and he did not cross my mind at all. On the other hand, if he thinks they won because of him, so much the better for him. He will be their hero.”
Will the “hero” of La Chaux-de-Fonds try again to warm up the tempers of the Olten players in the third game on Sunday? “I don’t know, we’ll see,” smiles Colin Fontana mischievously. One thing is for sure, it will be a lot of fun to see the number 67 warm up.
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.
