‘Easier than after a knee injury’

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are there miracles An hour before the fifth match between Geneva and Lugano, the question was justified. Simon Le Coultre, whose end of the season was announced a month ago, was actually in Servette’s squad. After the game he smiles: “I’ve been preparing for this for a while. I’ve worked hard to reach my best level. My family and my girlfriend have supported me a lot.”

Although he doesn’t make a big deal of it, the 23-year-old is not returning from a common injury. In January of this year he spent a few days in the hospital in Lugano after a match in Ambri. A kidney had to be removed on the spot. “That may sound impressive, but it’s a lot of mental work to get back in the game and be ready. I don’t know if I’m at my top level yet, but in the play-offs emotions help to forget the circumstances.”

Was the Vaudois in the service of Servette afraid of his first assignment? “Honestly? No. And it will stay that way. I’m not the first athlete to play under these conditions. My game has changed. I may be a little less physical than I used to be. But if something has to be done, it will be done.”

“A Joy and a Liberation”

And as if the story of the unlikely comeback wasn’t emotional enough, Simon Le Coultre immediately scored. “I was mainly trying to get the puck on target to provoke a rebound,” he explains. “But when I saw that he was inside, it was a joy and a great relief, given what I’ve been through.”

The comeback was also worth considering for his coach Jan Cadieux: “Since Tuesday and our defeat in Lugano, I’ve talked a lot about our state of mind. I sometimes felt we didn’t really have a playoff attitude. Simon’s return sent a message. He showed us what it means to sacrifice for the team.”

On Sunday, Servette will try to reach the semi-finals in Lugano. How does Le Coultre view the trip to Ticino? “It’s not my first injury. And honestly it’s easier than a knee or shoulder injury.”

He knows that the Luganesi have their backs against the wall and will play for their lives at home. That’s a good thing, because Le Coultre knows exactly what that means. Maybe even better than the Ticino.

Source : Blick