Page "Servette FC" Paragraph 7

During the Summer 2012 transfer window, Servette FC made very few signings, considering the club had been promoted from the second division to the Super League.

Barroca, Issaga Diallo, Carlos Saleiro and Abdoulaye Fall ( the latter failed to receive a work permit ) were signed as permanent transfers, in addition to Ishmael Yartey and Roderick Miranda joining the club on loan from Benfica.

Costinha, a former Portugal international and Champions League winner with FC Porto, was appointed as the club's Sporting Director, after he had been previously fired by Sporting Lisbon.

With a largely unchanged squad from their previous season in the second division, Servette achieved very impressive results in the first half of the season, including victories over FC Zurich, BSC Young Boys, Neuchatel Xamax, FC Lucerne, local rivals FC Lausanne-Sport and a 4-0 away win over arch-rivals FC Sion.

Despite achieving overall impressive results in the first half of the season, manager João Alves was fired, and was replaced by his compatriot João Pereira, to the disappointment of many of Servette's supporters.