Club Friendly· Season 2026
Grenoble beat La Chaux-de-Fonds 1-0 at Patinoire Polesud in their third pre-season friendly, making it three wins from three ahead of the Ligue Magnus season.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryGrenoble 1–0 La Chaux-de-Fonds: First home outing yields narrow pre-season win at Polesud
Grenoble made it three wins from three pre-season outings on Friday evening, edging Swiss League side La Chaux-de-Fonds 1–0 at Patinoire Polesud in their first home friendly of the 2026–27 campaign.
The Brûleurs de Loups — runners-up in last season's Synerglace Ligue Magnus — returned to Polesud for the first time since April's final series defeat to Bordeaux. Juha Juujärvi's side found the net once and held firm against a disciplined Swiss second-tier opponent to extend their perfect pre-season record.
How it unfolded
The decisive goal arrived in a contest that saw few clear-cut chances. Grenoble scored once, and that proved enough against a La Chaux-de-Fonds defence that limited the hosts — a marked contrast to the 12 goals Grenoble had scored across their two previous friendlies against Chamonix (7–2 on 12 August and 5–2 on 16 August).
The identity of the scorer and the exact minute were not published at the time of writing.
Defensive solidity
For La Chaux-de-Fonds — preparing for the Swiss League season under head coach Thomas Rhodin, appointed in the summer — the 1–0 scoreline represented a creditable defensive showing on the road. The Swiss side had played EHC Visp away three days earlier and restricted a Grenoble attack that had been free-scoring in its first two friendlies.
Grenoble's backline kept a clean sheet in what was a useful workout with the competitive season now less than four weeks away.
Pre-season context
This fixture was Grenoble's first test at Patinoire Polesud (capacity 4,208) ahead of the new Ligue Magnus season. The club's competitive campaign opens on 15 September at home against Angers, followed by a trip to Rouen on 18 September and a home fixture against Amiens on 25 September.
La Chaux-de-Fonds continue their pre-season with a home friendly against EHC Biel-Bienne on 27 August at Patinoire de Fleurier, before their Swiss League season starts on 18 September at HC Sierre.
What it means
Grenoble's unbeaten pre-season continues with three wins from three since 12 August, all against opponents from the French and Swiss systems. The 1–0 scoreline suggests defensive organisation is sharpening as the competitive opener approaches. After scoring seven and five in their first two friendlies, the narrower result offers a different kind of preparation — learning to manage a tight game.
For La Chaux-de-Fonds, the narrow defeat against a team that finished second in France's top flight will provide encouragement ahead of their own league campaign. The Rhodin era begins with a defensive foundation to build on.
Verdict
A competitive, tight pre-season friendly that served both sides well: Grenoble proved they can win when not dominating, while La Chaux-de-Fonds demonstrated defensive discipline against higher-tier opposition. Neither team will read too much into the single goal that decided it.
Match Events
Key match events between Grenoble and La Chaux-de-Fonds — 1 goal and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Rivalry since 2018
Grenoble vs La Chaux-de-Fonds Head to Head Results· 3
Grenoble and La Chaux-de-Fonds have met 3 times — Grenoble won 1, La Chaux-de-Fonds won 2, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. La Chaux-de-Fonds leads the head-to-head with 2 victories from 3 meetings. A combined 21 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 7.00 per match (9 for the home side, 12 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 3 matches (100%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 3 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 5–4 in 2018.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 22 Aug 2026