Football Season Guide

Although delighted to have been promoted, Yverdon-Sport’s first challenge must be to get used to a new home ground (Stade de la Maladiere), which is in Neuchatel whilst their own stadium (Stade Municipal) is renovated until it meets SFA standards, which is expected to be at the end of September. The Stade de la Maladiere has provided substantial home benefits for its inhabitants Neuchatel Xamax over the years, and Yverdon-Sport will be hoping to keep that trend up. They’ve also seen a change of President with Mario Di Pietrantonio moving into Sponsorship/Marketing, and Jeffrey Saunders replacing him at the top of the tree. As far as personnel goes, things aren’t much better really. They’ve lost instrumental midfielder Adniellyson Silva to a ruptured ACL - he’ll be lucky if he returns before the end of the forthcoming campaign, which is a huge blow - it makes their somewhat rash decision to cut Kabacalman lose all the more bizarre. They’ve not lost many players in the transfer market (at least, not many of note) but they’ve not brought many in either; just Jacquenoud after his loan at FC Sion expired, midfielder Cespedes from Servette, and goalkeeper Breza from Bologna. It’s not really enough. They worked wonders to get promoted last season but they had to spend money pre-season, and they simply haven’t. They panic-loaned attacker Kevin Carlos a week before the season began, hoping he will solve their goal-scoring woes. Goals will be a big problem this season because none of their forwards look like they’re good enough to play at this level. Kone was, but is now looking a little too old and thus was sold to FC Thun in the challenge League. The reliance on Vishi and Rodrigues to make things happen in midfield is huge; too much for them to handle, most likely. Their defence looks slow and old, and should be exploited far more for it at this level than it was in the division below. I’m sure that Yverdon-Sport, like most newly-promoted sides, will spring the odd surprise early on because their opponents don’t know them too well. However, considering the injury to Silva, not being able to play at home, and nowhere near enough new recruits, it’s hard to imagine them staying up, especially if their disjointed pre-season performances are anything to go by.