Morard and Wettingen finally get EHL shot

Rotweiss Wettingen are making their return to the EHL – as well as a return for Swiss clubs – for the first time for a decade and they will be hoping to get their first win in the competition.

For captain Yves Morard, it will fulfill a long-standing goal to play in the world’s best club competition having played 40 games in Europe across indoor and outdoor competition with Rotweiss.

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He joined the “special club” as a six-year-old, rising through the ranks to start training with the first team in 2011 but that season’s EHL campaign came too early for him.

The club – and Switzerland – has had to bide their time since then to reach the EHL once again but got their space back following a good run last term. Rotweiss finised second at Easter’s EuroHockey Trophy while Servette got bronze at the Trophy II tournament. 

It saw the country jump up three places to ninth place in the EHL Rankings Table, aided by Belarus and Russia dropping down the standings.

Rotweiss Wettingen before their game against Servette. Picture: Alfred Wälti

And so it means a special moment for Morard, 25, and his team mates after many years battling in several seasons at different levels of European club competition.

“International events with your club are always a special thing,” he told the EHL website ahead of next week’s contest with Gantoise. “You get into a different mood and up to another level. It motivates us a lot! I think we can only benefit from this.

“Back in 2011, I made my first training sessions with the first team and it was really impressive how they got prepared for the EHL. Since then, it was my goal to play in the competition. The former players from then have helped the whole team and they are really happy for us to get this chance.”

They start with a really tough task, meeting Belgian side Gantoise and their array of international stars on Thursday afternoon (14.30 CET).

Wettingen did shine in an opening 7-0 win in the Swiss league season against Servette’s second team and then drew 1-1 with Grasshoppers from Zurich. 

They qualified as Swiss national champions with a 7-1 semi-final win over HC Olten before winning a final shoot-out against GC Zurich. Benjamin Messerli top scored in the competition.

The side features Fabio Marelli who captained Switzerland this summer alongside Jonas Winkler. Konstantin Klimon is an Austrian international in their line-up while Simone Pagliara has represented Italy.

Looking at their panel, Morard adds: “Our squad changed a lot from last season with three regular players decided to join our second team for various reasons. 

“This is a huge loss but I think it will pay back in the future, when our young players getting this opportunity to play. Manuel Keller is a bit injured and we hope he’ll get fit in time! 

“With international tournaments in the summer, a lot of our players didn’t get a summer break so it was difficult to get a prepared as a whole team.

“I think we will have to get used to the level [against Gantoise]. We are the underdog, it s gonna be a really difficult game.”

The side features Fabio Marelli who captained Switzerland this summer alongside Jonas Winkler. Konstantin Klimon is an Austrian international in their line-up while Simone Pagliara has represented Italy.

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EHL Men’s KO16 will be available for broadcast across the globe from September 29 to October 2, 2022 via the following outlets

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