Football Season Guide

Lausanne are back into the top flight after a two-year absence and, just like most newly-promoted clubs, will be aiming to stay in the division. They have risen from the depths of the Challenge League last time around due to both the investment and the on-pitch efforts of former Swiss international Fabio Celestini, who remains a key man for the club, as he is currently their manager. The squad available for Celestini looks very similar to the one that won promotion and that he was a part of five years ago, as Lausanne are led by another former Swiss international in Xavier Margairaz, while having a squad consisted mostly of players who either have no Super League experience or have failed to deliver in the top flight. However, the ease with which they won the Challenge League last season suggests that they they were definitely too good to play in the second tier, and Celestini will now want his men to prove their worth against the big boys. The only player of real note that left is talented full-back Numa Lavanchy, who has joined Grasshopper, while les Bleus have had a major squad clear-out and brought in a number of players that can be described only as stabs in the dark at the moment. Celestini is known as a fan of attacking football, but the big challenge is for his side to keep playing that way in the top flight without leaving themselves too vulnerable at the back, which is something that many newly-promoted sides struggle with. A thing to look forward to for the neutrals are Lausanne's matches with Sion, as these two clubs share a strong regional rivalry and have played out some tight clashes during Lausanne's previous Super League stay.