Football Journey: September 2017

Sunday, September 10, 2017

The Swiss Cup final apposed FC Sion and Basel – on the surface, not a brainer, bur a bit unusual, for neither club had a strong year. Wisdom suggested to bet on Basel... tradition and experience, and wounded pride were on their side. But they lost 0-1.

Basel finished the year with nothing. However, it was more an accident than going down.

FC Sion – what a great season they had! Second row from left: Richard, Bitz, Cernicky, Valentini, Karlen, Lopez, Pittier, Cucinotta, Moulin.

First row: Schnydrig, Luisier, Balet, Brigger, Bregy, Fournier.

Normally a modest team, Sion had very promising championship and won the Cup. Hardly a great squad, but they had a few experienced leading players – Cucinotta and Bregy, for instance. And a curious case: Marian Cernicky. Born in 1953, he played between 1972 and 1978 for his native club Lokomotiva (Kosice) in Czechoslovakia. Then he disappeared, which nobody noticed, for his was not a rather ordinary name in the sport. But he resurfaced in 1979 with Sion's jersey – given that Czechoslovakia started exported players in 1980 and only over 28 years old at first, most likely he was run away. But he settled well in Sion and played until 1983. A rare, but well deserved success for club. And their 4^th Cup.