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Last round before the controversial playoffs: Seraina Piubel and Laura Felber face each other in the top fight on Saturday. What does the Nati duo say about this?
When Laura Felber made her long-awaited Nati comeback in the 77th minute against Azerbaijan, teammate Seraina Piubel had long since finished showering and changing. Even though the duo were never on the field together in the first two games of the European Championship qualifiers, they still played their part in the successful campaign with victories over Turkey and in Baku.
But the friendship between the two has to come to an end on Saturday. In the last round of the regular season in the Women’s Super League in the exciting showcase of the Stade de Genève there will be a top battle between Felbers Servette and Piubels FCZ. The latter emphasizes: “Laura and I have a very relaxed approach to it.” The only topic at the Nati gathering was European Championship qualification and the associated hope of promotion to the Nations League. Felber agrees, but adds: “One thing is certain: we won’t be friends on Saturday.”
Based on the starting position, only FC Zurich is under pressure. While Servette Chênois can no longer be pushed from the top in the qualifying phase, FC Basel is lurking behind second-placed Zurich.
The Basel women have only one point less, but the goal difference is significantly better. For Piubel and Co. it’s about securing a nominally easier opponent in the playoff quarter-finals. Because YB and Basel have upgraded, there will be unprecedented tension in the Women’s Super League era this season.
The “new” mode and the controversy
Felber’s Geneva women, on the other hand, want to gain momentum: for the cup final on April 20th against YB (watch live on SRF) and the start of the playoffs a week later. Not least because of the home advantage, the Nati duo also agree, Servette starts the big game with a bit of tailwind. Piubel doesn’t want to use the long journey as an excuse: “Time flies faster than you think.” Eat, take a nap, then visualize the upcoming game. And then you arrive in Geneva.
The playoff mode comes into play for the 3rd time. Regardless of whether the Zurich women end up in second or third place, they would only meet Servette in the final. It would be the 3rd time in a row. The last two times the final went to FCZ’s liking:
- 2021/22: A thrilling final will only be decided in a penalty shootout. FC Zurich prevails there.
- 2022/23: Servette reaches the final without a single defeat. But there the opponents from German-speaking Switzerland really turned up the heat – and won the next title with a 3-0 win.
It’s a huge chump! That’s the shit about this mode. You can be sixth at the end of the season and still be champions and play in the Champions League.
Coumba Sow, who was still under contract with Servette last year, was really pissed off after the final defeat. The mode is a “huge bummer”. Felber sees it the same way: “I don’t see much point in this mode. I think deep down everyone knows that it’s not necessarily fair.” Here, for once, Piubel doesn’t agree with himself and answers fatalistically: “We’ve come to terms with it, you can’t change anything anyway. And it worked out for us.”
By the way, the first duel of the season went 3-0 to Felber and Co. Piubel will do everything on Saturday to ensure that the revenge is successful. To do this, the friendship between the Nati players must rest for 90 minutes.