PostedJuly 23, 2022, 9:01 PM
FootballStade Lausanne returns to its old stadium
The SLO is back for a few weeks in Samaranch, the stage of all its successes. With half nostalgia. A first since his accession to the Challenge League, concluded with a victory on Saturday against Wil (2-1).
The Stadistes have not played at the Samaranch stadium for an official match for three years and the rise in the Challenge League.
Florian Vaney
The entrance gate opens. Behind him, the head of the stewardship of Stade Lausanne passes a final paw on the next door. Two beautiful pieces of dust come off, as if to clearly mark the jump in time. The Stadistes have not entered their venerable Samaranch stadium for an official match for three years and the rise in the Challenge League. By finding him for a derogation and two matches, you have to be ready to overcome nostalgia.
From a distance, nothing has changed. The place is still animated by the same timeless charm. At the edge of the field, we meet the stars of the unforgettable rise in the hierarchy of the 2010s. Andy Laugeois has a smile, Axel Danner too. They will appreciate the victory of their successors against Wil (2-1, read box). Regardless of the angle of view and the corner chosen, football is breathed in full nose.
A bit old
By squinting, the old look of the place begins to be noticed all the same. In a pinch, the dead leaves that litter the pitch contribute to the simple and unpretentious side of the stadium. The holes in the ground and the brown areas, on the other hand, do a little more damage to the reputation of billiards that Samaranch has forged over the years. The part between Vaudois and Saint-Gallois, rather animated, will not suffer too much.
In the stands, neither more nor fewer people than for a usual SLO match at Pontaise, whose spotlights can be seen in the distance. The atmosphere is also worth it. “We sing better at Pontaise than here, we feel more in a real football place, says one of the members of this nameless group which makes noise at SLO matches. Taking possession of Pontaise is a bit our own taking of Constantinople”, he adds, without being too sure of understanding the reference.
The nostalgics are no longer numerous
One thing is certain, the consensus does not exist. A voice who knows the club well assures that, with a few light adjustments (and the expensive upgrade of the floodlights), Samaranch could be a perfect permanent lair for Stade Lausanne. The sound of the bell especially affects romantics and those who, at the edge of the lake, have left some tasty memories. In a club that has been transformed in recent years, they are no longer numerous.
“It was a slice of the club’s history. But you feel much less professional when you play Samaranch.
Lavdrim Hajrulahu is the last link on the pitch between the two generations. And even told him to be delighted to find the top of the city in a few weeks, once the renovation of the lawn of the Pontaise is finished. “A lot of images came up at the start of the match. We still had some victories here. It was a slice of the club’s history. But you feel much less professional when you play Samaranch.
Basically, the debate barely exists. After hosting Schaffhausen in three weeks, Samaranch will cede the spotlight again without discussion. Maybe crowned with a nice invincibility stat, maybe not. No matter. Its charm will continue to pass through time.