Following their 2-0 victory over NSÍ Runavík in the UEFA Conference League, FC Lugano are already set to return to action. On Sunday 9 August, at 2.00 pm, the AIL Arena will host the match against FC Zürich, as part of the third matchday of the Brack Super League.
The bianconeri go into this fixture in the midst of a particularly busy spell, having played a match every three to four days for several weeks now. So far this season, they have played five official matches and secured five victories across the league and UEFA qualifiers. Mattia Croci-Torti’s side will be looking to extend this run against an opponent who, in their most recent encounters, has always proved a tough challenge right until the very end.
A STEP FORWARD
Thursday’s 2–0 win against Runavík has allowed Lugano to build a solid lead ahead of the return leg in the Faroe Islands, though there is no room for complacency. In his post-match comments, Croci-Torti emphasised that, despite a high level of attacking output, there is still room to improve in terms of effectiveness and tempo: “We’re perhaps two or three goals short of feeling a bit more comfortable, but the team’s attitude is spot on: they were keen to score and create chances. We would have liked to play a bit faster, at a higher tempo.”
His comments are already looking ahead to the upcoming fixtures. The manager’s stated aim is to try and extend the team’s unbeaten run through the matches against Zurich, Runavík and Vedeggio, so as to reach the second half of August with eight wins from their first eight competitive matches. First, however, there is another league fixture to tackle in quick succession, and the need to manage energy levels without compromising on performance.
ROTATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The team’s preparations were already in full swing on Thursday evening. Against Runavík, Croci-Torti made several changes to the line-up compared with previous matches: with Alioski unavailable through injury, Elias Pihlström was deployed on the left wing, scoring the opening goal and netting his second consecutive goal following his strike against Grasshopper.
The rotations also affected the other areas of the team. In defence, Kelvin and Delcroix started for the first time this season, with Papadopoulos and Mai given a rest, whilst in midfield Kendouci replaced Grgic. These changes take on particular importance at this stage of the season, when fixtures continue to come thick and fast without a break.
A ZURICH SIDE TO BE RECKONED WITH
FC Zürich, who have started the new season under Marcel Koller, will be visiting the AIL Arena. Following their opening-day defeat away to St. Gallen, the Zurich side bounced back on matchday two to secure their first win of the season against Servette.
Last season’s head-to-head record also suggests we should not be misled by the favourable overall record. Lugano did indeed win all three head-to-head matches against FCZ in 2025/26, but always by the narrowest of margins: three victories, all by the same 1–0 scoreline, in matches that remained open and fiercely contested right up to the final whistle.
This statistic reinforces the message Croci-Torti conveyed as early as Thursday evening: “Zurich are certainly a side we must respect. They’re a strong team who won’t give us anything for free. We need to grit our teeth for a few more weeks.”
So the focus must be on the next hurdle, without looking any further ahead. The European return leg against Runavík is coming up as early as Thursday, and shortly afterwards it will be time for the Swiss Cup, but first the fixture list presents the bianconeri with another Brack Super League test.
GET TO THE AIL ARENA WITH UBER
From this match onwards, there is also a new way to get to the AIL Arena on match days. Uber, FC Lugano’s new Mobility Partner, is providing a dedicated pick-up and drop-off point on Via Ciani, next to the stadium, offering an additional transport option in an area where parking spaces remain limited.
On home match days, vouchers offering special discounts on journeys will also be available; details on how to use them will be communicated by the Club via its newsletter. Season ticket holders who do not receive these email updates can report the issue by writing to ticketing@fclugano.com.
VIA TREVANO CLOSED
On match days, Via Trevano will be closed to traffic to allow the away supporters’ procession to pass through. The bus stops for the affected routes will be temporarily relocated to Via Ciani.
Please note that with a ticket or season ticket, public transport is free across the entire Arcobaleno network in Ticino and Moesano for the whole day of the match.
