Everything about the barrage clash: GC’s lousy Cornaredo record and Aarau captain Jäckle as Mr. Barrage

It’s been a long time since the Hoppers have had anything to celebrate at the Cornaredo.

Keystone

Today it’s part 1 in the battle for the last Super League place between GC and Aarau. Here’s what you need to know before kick-off at 20:30 at the Cornaredo in Lugano (live on blue Sport).

GC cannot win at the Cornaredo

Because GC cannot play at the Letzigrund due to a concert, the first leg of the barrage will kick off at 20:30 today at the Cornaredo in Lugano. A home game over 200 kilometers to the south. Is the Cornaredo at least a good place for GC? No, on the contrary. GC have played there eleven times since September 2017, with a poor record of 0 wins, 8 draws and 3 defeats. After all, Aarau’s Cornaredo record is only marginally better. In the 5 games since summer 2003, there has been 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats.

Direct duels speak in favor of GC

How do the head-to-head matches look? The top flight can be a lot more optimistic. GC have won 9 of the last 12 head-to-head matches and only lost one.

Aarau have already failed twice as a lower league team

When it comes to experience, Aarau has the edge. They have been in a barrage duel three times. However, they have only won as a Super League team (against Bellinzona in 2007) and lost to Sion and Xamax in 2012 and 2019 respectively. GC will have to work overtime for the second time in a row. Last season, the record champions narrowly beat Thun to stay in the league.

The poor season record of FCA captain Jäckle

Oliver Jäckle (32) is FC Aarau’s Mister Barrage. The captain was already involved in the unsuccessful promotion attempts in 2012 and 2019. At least this season, the veteran is not the greatest guarantee of success at FCA. He was absent during the 9-game winning streak with a broken ankle, but was back on the pitch for the following 7-game winless streak. Captain Jäckle only played 90 minutes in 2 of the 16 wins this season.

Aarau captain Olivier Jäckle talks to coach Brunello Iacopetta.

KEYSTONE

The craziest barrage duel: from 4:0 to 0:4

Aarau’s last barrage duel in the summer of 2019 was also a rollercoaster ride. Patrick Rahmen’s team won the first leg in Neuchâtel 4:0. The promotion shirts were quickly printed and the party prepared. But Aarau really messed up the second leg, also losing 4:0 and then on penalties. It remains the craziest barrage duel in Switzerland to this day.

“Mr. Barrage” at GC? Coach Thomas Oral

Coach Tomas Oral has the most barrage experience at the Hoppers. With FC Ingolstadt, he took part in three consecutive relegations (as the deciding games are called in Germany) between the 2nd and 3rd Bundesliga. His record? Once successfully, twice not.

GC coach Tomas Oral wants to prevent the Super-GAU.

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Are there any players who have already played in the opponent’s kit? Of course there are. Here is an overview:

Aarau players with a GC past

• Nikola Gjorgjev
• Valon Fazliu
• Raul Bobadilla
• Andreas Hirzel
• Colin Hegner
• Serge Müller
• Marcin Dickenmann
• Esey Gebreyesus

Conversely, there would actually be no need for a list, but it looks nicer.

GC players with an Aarau past

And what do the statistics look like? Top class or lower class? Who has come out on top in the 15 barrage duels so far? The balance clearly favors GC, with the Superliga clubs’ success rate at 67 percent so far. Here are the five successful lower-league teams that can give the Aargau team hope: Sion (season: 05/06), Bellinzona (07/08), Servette (10/11), Vaduz (19/20), Stade Lausanne-Ouchy (22/23).

In the end, all these results don’t really count. As is so often the case, the truth lies on the pitch. Put a five-figure sum in the piggy bank and get in front of the TV. Barrage first leg live on blue Sport from 20:30.

What the experts Montandon and Munsy say about the barrage