The Super League championship gives no respite to protagonists and fans alike. After the vibrant mid-week matches that saw Basel take the lead in the standings, it's back on the field this weekend with day number 23. That includes Saturday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. in Cornaredo the arrival of Grasshopper.
UNDEFEATED FOR EIGHT DAYS
The grasshoppers are one of the most in-form teams at the moment. In fact, they are undefeated for eight games. In 2025 they earned three prestigious draws against Lausanne, Servette and YB and a victory (in ten men) in Sion.
ONLY WINS AND DRAWS FOR ORAL
What undoubtedly sparked the spark was the change of coach. With Schällibaum on the bench, the blue-and-whites had earned only two wins, three draws and nine defeats. They occupied last place in the standings with nine points. Since the arrival of the new German coach Tomas Oral, the team has not lost, racking up 12 points in eight matches (2 wins and 6 draws).
AN ASSISTANT TO HITZFELD ON THE BENCH
Oral is 51 years old and previously coached Karlsrhuer, Ingolstadt and Sandhausern. Hired alongside him is compatriot Michael Henke, former assistant to Otmar Hitzfeld at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich and winner of several Germanic titles.
COLLABORATION WITH BAYERN
Grasshopper also employs a sporting director also of German nationality, Stephan Schwarz, who, thanks to his relations with Bayern, has introduced a policy of loaning out prospects from the Bavarian second team to be enhanced in the Super League. With this in mind, American central defender Dettoni and striker Iracunda have just arrived in Zurich.
ALSO A FRENCH TIP
The winter market for the grasshoppers also saw an incoming midfielder from Benin, Hassane, and forward Bryan Lasme, a Frenchman originally from the Ivory Coast who played at Suchaux (63 games 14 goals), Arminia Bielefeld (61/12) and Schalke 04 (35/4). in contrast, Babunski, Tobers, Hoxha and Ndicka left the club.
MUCI BEST SCORER
Grasshopper's best scorer (5 goals) is Nicolas Muci taken in the summer from Lugano. He is followed at 4 by another Ticino player, Giotto Morandi, who is currently absent due to adductor problems.
BALANCE IN CORNAREDO
The tally of direct confrontations since 2015 is 30 games with 12 HCL wins, 9 draws and 9 losses. In Cornaredo, the two teams have faced each other 15 times with 6 Lugano wins, as many draws and 3 Confederate wins.
IN SEASON ONE WIN AND ONE DRAW
Two matches have already been played this season (always with Schällibaum on the bench). At the league opener in Lugano Croci-Torti's boys won 2-1: guest advantage through Morandi on a penalty kick and in the second half Przybylko and Bislimi in 92′. At the Letzigrund in October it ended in a 1-1 draw (Muci and Aliseda).