PostedMay 16, 2022, 10:59
At the end of a final that turned to desolation for his club, Matthias Hüppi did not hesitate to go down on the lawn to go and calm his turbulent “fans” and perhaps avoid the worst. His intervention marked the spirits.
St. Gallen President Matthias Hüppi (right) went himself to calm the St. Gallen ultras.
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Strong scenes, poignant images between jubilation, disappointment and extreme tension. Sunday in Bern, Lugano – Saint-Gall (4-1) offered its share of upset emotions. In the ranks of the winners, there were the tears of Mattia Croci-Torti, seen in tears shortly before the final whistle and long after.
For long minutes, the inconsolable coach from Ticino, overwhelmed by emotion, did not try to hide what he could then feel. A great moment of truth, perfectly reflecting the man’s whole personality and touching sincerity.
Energetic intervention
In another genre, Matthias Hüppi also had to do very well. While a horde of ultra Saint-Gallois, hooded and ready to do battle with the opposing tifosis showing their joy, had already entered the lawn of the Wankdorf, the president of the kybunpark did not hesitate to pay in person in order to to calm the anger of the assailants.
Aware that the situation was degenerating, we saw him quickly leave the VIP place he occupied in the stands to go down as quickly on the ground in order to go “parliament” with the troublemakers, which he ended up repel.
Surrounded by a security service which we feared for a moment that he was overwhelmed, the strong man of the Brodeurs was certainly not alone, but it was he who, by his energetic intervention, undoubtedly avoided that the ceremony of handing over the Cup does not turn into a general fight.
“We are not comfortable when we find ourselves in front of them. But that’s part of my job. As a club, we don’t want that.”
In this sense, we owe him the best action of FC Saint-Gall who, victim of a kind of mental block after his 2021 final lost behind closed doors, never managed to break free. So much we never recognized on Sunday afternoon, against the Luganese furia, the team in form for the second part of the championship.
If it made an impression and above all allowed a de-escalation, the intervention of the former star journalist of SRF (he had been until 2017) will remain a highlight of this 97th final. How did he feel about the alleged fans facing him? “It’s not funny and we are not comfortable when we find ourselves in front of them, had to agree Matthias Hüppi at the microphone of his former employer. But that’s part of my job. As a club, we don’t want that. The police were also present on the spot to assist me.
With the march of the fans
At 64, Matthias Hüppi, dressed in the colors of his club, had chosen to make the Wankdorf pilgrimage among the thousands of St. Gallen supporters who had made the trip from eastern Switzerland. After traveling by train with them, the boss had walked to the stadium among them. He was poorly rewarded for it a few hours later.
But hats off, president! Unlike your players, you didn’t run away…