Biel striker Brunner lies down in the parking lot

class=”sc-3778e872-0 cKDKQr”>

Damien Brunner remains the unfinished. One of the best Swiss strikers the league has ever seen is still without a championship title. “It bothers me and I’m always accused of it,” he told Servette before the final. “That’s why the big goal is of course to make it now. It’s great that I’m getting another chance at 37.”

It is all the more bitter that the Zurich player has to fit into the Finalissima. Already in the sixth game he had to give up in the middle third due to back pain. In Geneva he does the warm-up last Thursday, but that doesn’t work. Brunner misses the rendezvous for the title. Instead of on the ice, the former NHL striker, who scored three goals in the Finals, will be standing in front of an aisle screen as it kicks off at Les Vernets Hall.

The game could hardly have started worse for Seeländer. After four minutes Sami Vatanen runs across the field and puts Servette ahead.

Too much for Brunner, who cabled MySports and equipped it with a microphone for the emotional 33-minute Biel documentary “Ici c’est Bienne – a Biel hero’s journey,” which airs for the first time tonight (MySports Eins, 8:15 p.m. ). He can’t take it anymore. As the outdated hall becomes a madhouse, Brunner goes outside and lays down in the parking lot in front of the stadium. He’s all alone. Devastated.

“I don’t even know what to think about it”

He glances at his cellphone. Then he hears the cheering inside. Vatanen has struck again. 2-0 for Napkins. Brunner sighs and curses softly. Then he lies on his back. “It’s really bitter,” he says, taking a deep breath. “I have so many things on my mind. I don’t even know what to think about it.”

When the first break is over, he stands up and enters the stadium. On the way to the bench, assistant coach Rikard Franzen from Servette asks him how he is doing. “My back is broken. I can’t move very well.”

The game continues. Behind the bench, Brunner tries to cheer up his teammates and help where he can, arranges a painkiller for Luca Hischier or loudly calls on the referees to whistle a penalty. It does not help. Servette wins 4:1 and becomes champion for the first time. Disappointment is written on the Bielern’s face. Brunner wipes his eyes. He hugs Antti Törmänen, who is suffering from cancer again.

Again nothing with the title. But like the goal getter said before the last run? “Of course I really want to, but for me my career is not determined by whether I can do it.”

Source : Blick