ServetteGround: Stade de Genève Visits: 1 Date: 16th February 2015 Match: Servette - Lugano 2-0 (Challenge League) Attendance: 3 273
I wanted to attend three matches during this trip and since there is a Ligue 2 fixture on Monday evenings in France I was hoping I would be able to visit that game. When that game turned out to be in Brest (Stade Brestois vs Nimes), which was too complicated staying in Lille, I looked elsewhere. The Swiss 2nd division, Challenge League, also have a game on Monday evenings and when I found out it was Servette vs Lugano being on offer this Monday I decided to visit this match. My TGV-train left Lille Europe at 9am and three hours later I was in Lyon. In Lyon I only had to wait 25 minutes before boarding the TER-train taking me to Geneve in Switzerland. All in all the journey took almost six hours and upon arrival I was greeted by sunshine and a clear sky. For most of the trip through France there was fog and since I wanted to do some sightseeing in Geneve I was pleased the weather was as nice as it was. Switzerland is nowadays very (some would say extremely) expensive but staying for only one night I decided I could afford it. My hotel was right next to the train station as as I was checking in I was given a 24-hour city ticket. That means free public transport.
Geneve is the second most populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Geneva is a worldwide center for diplomacy due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross. Geneva is the city that hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world. It is also the place where the Geneva Conventions were signed, which chiefly concern the treatment of wartime non-combatants and prisoners of war. I didn´t visit any of the organizations mentioned above but went down to the lake and the main attraction in Geneve, the Jet d´Eau water fountain, was indeed spectacular. After an hour of sightseeing I went back to my hotel to have something to eat. That was the most expensive meal I have had for quite some time and I don´t think I will be back in Switzerland until the country goes back to being expensive. Anyway, shortly before 6pm I went to the tram station outside the train station from where I boarded a tram taking me to P+R Etoile, from where Stade de Genève was a 12-minute walk. Stade de Genève was opened in 2003 and has a capacity of 30 000. It hosted three group-stage matches in EURO 2008. For Servette FC, normally having 3 - 5000 at their matches, the ground is a bit too big though. My seat was in row 20 in the East Stand but row 19 upwards were covered by a big advertising banner so I sat down in the best seat I could find! The match this evening, Servette vs Lugano, was third against second in the Challenge League and with only one team being promoted both teams had to win this match. It was 0-0 at half-time but in the first minute of the second half Servette scored to make it 1-0. Both teams then had some chances but the next goal was not scored until stoppage time, 2-0 to Servette and the 3 300 in attendance could leave Stade de Genève knowing the home team still have a chance of promotion. I was back at my hotel around 10.30 and on Tuesday morning my European weekend came to an end.
Basilique Notre-Dame de Genève
Basilique Notre-Dame de Genève
Place Berthelier
Berthelier
Geneva, waterfront
Geneva, waterfront
Geneva, waterfront
Jet d'eau
Jet d'eau
Stade de Genève
Stade de Genève
Discipline Passion
Servette FC
South Stand
West Stand
North Stand
Covered seats
Reading fans
Kick-off
View of play
Servette fans
West Stand
View of play
North Stand
Servette fans
Pano
Pano |