Lugano started the season with so much optimism, as they performed so well under Fabio Celestini late in the previous campaign and this was their first full campaign under the former Lausanne boss.
However, they badly failed to live up to expectations, with their early season form so poor that Celestini was relieved of his duties in October - not many questioned the decision.
Maurizio Jacobacci took over as a replacement and opted for an approach with less flair and more sturdiness. The results immediately picked up. The Ticiners eventually turned their stadium into a fortress and went on an unbeaten home run that started in November until the end of the season.
This allowed them to beat the drop with several games to spare. Finishing higher than fifth was never a real possibility, given how poorly they performed early in the campaign.
There is still a chance that they will be in Europe next season - this depends on the outcome of the Swiss Cup. Regardless of this, there is feeling that Jacobacci has foundations in place for a quality side and the Ticiners will be hoping for an even better campaign next time around.
