Nowhere in Switzerland is the longing for a first championship title as great as in Fribourg. Now this is once again in danger of falling through, a promising starting position has been squandered.
28.04.2026, 05:00
28.04.2026, 06:32
SDA
The hunt for a first championship title in hockey-crazy Fribourg is jinxed. They are in the play-off final for the fifth time, and before the play-offs were introduced in 1983, they also finished in 2nd place - six points behind EHC Biel. And once again, the team's fortunes are slipping away.
There was much to suggest that it could work this time. In the first five finals, they were on a par with the favored qualification winners Davos. They broke through twice away from home, but both times they were unable to confirm their advantage at home. In front of their own fans in the cauldron of St-Léonard, their nerves failed them. Only one goal (1:3 and 0:1) was the far too meagre yield.
Fribourg's historic collapse
Nevertheless, they could have secured two match pucks in Davos on Sunday evening, but they almost carelessly let victory slip out of their hands. In an outstanding first period, Fribourg took a fully deserved 3:0 lead, but conceded another goal 30 seconds before the first break. One of great significance, as Davos' Enzo Corvi and Simon Knak, as well as Fribourg head coach Roger Rönnberg, confirmed in unison. "The 3:1 gave them energy," regrets the 54-year-old Swede.
In the middle third, his team completely fell apart at times, but was at least able to respond once more after the 3:4. In the end, Davos still won 5:4 after overtime, and the decisive goal was also annoying. Nathan Marchon was sent to the penalty box because he bounced the puck over the plexiglass rather unchallenged in his own third. Adam Tambellini resolutely uses the overtime to score the winner.
You have to look all the way back to 1995 to find a final in which a team lost after leading by three goals. Kloten turned a 0:3 deficit against Zug into a 4:3 win and celebrated their third of four championship titles in a row.
No more mistakes allowed
Now Gottéron has its back to the wall. First of all, they must finally win at home on Tuesday and then in a possible final in Davos on Thursday to keep their dream of their first title alive. How can they do that after being too tense at home in the first two games?
In field hockey, you talk about "soft" hands, which are needed to score successfully. Freiburg completely lacked these in front of their own fans, who they desperately wanted to give this first triumph to. Perhaps this tenseness will now fall away now that they have nothing left to lose.
Worries about Sörensen
"Nothing has changed," emphasized Rönnberg and Lucas Wallmark, who was outstanding on Sunday with two goals. "We need four wins," says the coach with a smile. "No one has ever become champions with two wins. I like the starting position with our home game."
Rönnberg is probably less pleased that his compatriot Marcus Sörensen, who has been getting better and better recently after his three-month injury layoff, is in danger of being ruled out. The Swede left the ice on Sunday shortly before the end of regulation time with a pained face. His absence would further complicate an already difficult starting position. Despite all the slogans of perseverance: Sunday's defeat could weigh heavier than simply losing a game.
