Paint it black, red, white: FC Winterthur, Lausanne and graffiti culture at Servette.

Words: Maxime Michelet

Images: Maxime Michelet

As a Lausanner, the matches between Zurich's Winterthur and Geneva's Servette FC are always pretty special.

Indeed, a friendship has linked Lausanne and Eulacher supporters for about twenty years, visiting each other, especially at their rivals' homes.

So, when FCW went to Geneva's Praille on a grey Sunday, some Lausanners took the opportunity to support their Winterthur friends and start hostilities with their Genevan enemies before the derby on March 1st.

Usually treading the grounds with a Press bib, I swapped my hi-viz for my black North Face jacket before boarding the special train, exceptionally stopping at a station near Lausanne.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. FC Winterhur (+ Lausanne) at Servette FC.

The visitors' sector is well served, since the special trains stop at a station leading directly to the away sector.

The check went smoothly, even with my camera, the hallway, as well as the toilets, turned out to be a paradise for sticker collectors, since you could find everything there, Swiss, French, German, but also Rangers stickers, or even Romans from AS Roma.

The entrance to the stands goes calmly, and the stadium is relatively empty less than an hour before kick-off.

While the players are warming up, and the Geneva Tribune Nord is filling up copiously, something is brewing in the arteries of the visitors' sector, from which a dozen hooded fans emerge.

Servette FC vs FC Winterhur. Tagging the away sector.

In general, whenever people hood-up in the Swiss stands, it means pyroshows.

But instead of smoke bombs, the hooded people have spray cans in their hands, and head towards the top of the stand. The graffiti operation can begin, under the astonished eyes of the Eulachers supporters, and a few whistles emanating from the local stands.

The black, blue, white and red bombs colour the concrete, revealing two tags of FCW and LS, the initials of the two friendly clubs.

As if to leave a trace of their friendship in the faces of the garnet coloured rival.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. FC Winterhur at Servette FC. Brothers in arms.

As in every home match, the Cé qu’è lainô, the anthem of the Republic of Geneva, is sung a cappella by a singer, and a few torches are lit as the players enter, while the scarves are held out on the Winterthur side.

The match is quite enjoyable in this clash of extremes, since Servette FC could have taken the lead in the championship in case of victory, while FC Winterthur is dead last, and yet opened the score on a penalty in the second half.

Despite the unfavourable score, the Tribune Nord does not get up or down, with powerful chants, well-followed gestures, and a few torches lit sporadically.

Their effort will be rewarded, since the Grenat reverse the score at the very end of the match, with huge limbs for the second goal, on the way to a 3-1 win for the hosts.

Does spray paint or victory last longest?

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. FC Winterhur at Servette FC.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Servette FC away sector stickers.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Tags go up in Servette away sector.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Lausanne graffiti at Servette.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Winterhur graffiti at Servette.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Winterhur and Lausanne graffiti at Servette.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. FC Winterhur cap.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. FC Winterhur flag at Servette FC.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Lausanne Kop Sud stickers at Servette FC.

©Maxime Michelet/ Terrace Edition. Section Granat Servette FC.

You can find Maxime on Instagram: @max_mich.loz

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