Youth Candidates Impress with Control and Chance Creation in 3–2 Win

There are days in a club’s calendar that feel routine, and then there are those that quietly whisper that something brighter is coming. Chur’s annual youth intake match was very much the latter. The youth candidates’ 3–2 victory over the established U18 side was more than a pleasant surprise; it was an assertive declaration of intent. With over 3.2 expected goals and long stretches of genuine control, the candidates played with a maturity unusual for a group so young. Fabio Fässler and Valentino Geering placed their names on the scoresheet, but the wider story was collective: confident patterns of play, strong athletic profiles, and a swagger that rarely survives first contact with older opposition.

What made the afternoon even more special was its local heart. All five standout performers were born in Chur, raised around its pitches, and are the product of the hard, often unseen work going on behind the scenes to modernise the club’s youth pathway. Their emergence feels less like a coincidence and more like the first proof of concept in a system that is beginning to function exactly as intended. The following profiles trace the early steps of five teenagers who, on this evidence, may yet shape Chur’s future.

The five candidates, viewing their Basque DNA attributes.

Marcel Cortesi emerged from the youth candidate match as the most composed presence on the pitch, an impressive distinction for a goalkeeper who only turned fifteen this spring. A native of Chur and already notably left-footed for his position, Cortesi possesses a natural assertiveness that belies his age. His reflexes – sharp, instinctive and repeatable – were the defining feature of his performance, particularly in a pair of close-range stops that prevented what should have been certain goals. While youth football often flatters bold keepers, Cortesi’s decision-making stood out precisely because it was measured; he knows when to attack the ball and when to wait, rarely committing without a clear read of the play. His fairly determined personality shapes him into the type of young goalkeeper who relishes responsibility rather than shies away from it, and although his aerial game and physical presence will naturally evolve with maturity, there is enough in his current profile to suggest that Chur have uncovered a genuine long-term prospect in goal.

In a match where some attackers played with abandon, Giuliano Graf provided the defensive counterweight – a sixteen-year-old centre-back who played with an unexpected blend of composure, physicality and discipline. His speed over the first ten metres allowed him to cover mistakes made by others, but it was his reading of passes into the channels and his capacity to step decisively into duels that made him stand out alongside older youth talents. Graf is not the finished article, particularly in aerial timing and core strength, but he already demonstrates the steady, fairly professional approach that coaches value in young defenders. He does not dive into tackles unless required, and yet he remains aggressive enough to disrupt attackers before they receive comfortably. Another Chur born defender, he has the raw materials – mobility, defensive timing, personality – to grow into a reliable and potentially high-ceiling centre-back if his development continues along this structured path.

Among the midfielders on display, Marvin Hodler projected the clearest sense of tactical identity. A defensive midfielder by trade and left-footed like Cortesi, Hodler’s maturity is already visible in how he organises those around him, constantly pointing, adjusting and guiding teammates even when the ball is elsewhere. His leadership is not exaggerated for someone his age; it appears authentic, rooted in a calmness that allows him to read danger before it develops. Set-piece delivery is another notable strength, and he demonstrated it repeatedly with whipped balls into threatening spaces from both deep and wide positions. Although his athleticism remains a developmental area, Hodler compensates with sharp positional intelligence and a spirited personality that ensures he does not retreat from physical duels. As he grows into his body and builds more range in his running, the traits he already possesses – leadership, clarity, control – hint at a midfielder with the potential to anchor the spine of a future Chur side.

Fabio Fässler was one of the most enjoyable players to watch during the candidate game, a wiry, expressive right-footer who thrives in the dual role of midfielder and wide attacker. His creativity is his most obvious asset, but it is his dribbling rhythm – quick, deceptive, and built on fine changes of direction – that repeatedly opened pockets of space where none existed. Fässler’s technique is already advanced for a fifteen-year-old, particularly in tight zones, and his willingness to attempt ambitious passes suggests a player who processes the game at a faster speed than many of his peers. He will need to develop physically and supplement his athletic base to compete consistently at higher levels, yet his fairly ambitious temperament is a positive indicator that he understands the work required. There is nothing lightweight about his intent, and if his body catches up with his brain, Chur may be nurturing an attacking midfielder with real creative upside.

Valentino Geering was the most intriguing forward on display, a sixteen-year-old attacking midfielder and second striker who blends intelligence with a natural technical fluency. Right-footed and notably composed in possession, Geering operates between lines rather than against defensive lines, drifting into pockets that many players his age do not yet recognise or value. His first touch and ability to hold the ball under pressure hint at a player already tuned to the tempo of senior football, even if his physical profile still has room to mature. Geering showed flashes of genuine skill in tight spaces, particularly when slipping short passes around corners or manipulating defenders with subtle body feints. His heading remains an area for improvement, but his fairly sporting nature and willingness to engage in all phases of play suggest that he will attack that weakness rather than avoid it. Among the group, he may be the most naturally gifted, and if he continues to refine both the physical and tactical sides of his game, Chur could have a future difference-maker on their hands.