Football Season Review

№2: Basel

Basel entered the season determined to wrestle the title back from Young Boys after having their nearly decade-long domestic dominance ended by the Berners. However, they fell well short of the mark, mostly due to a disastrous start to the season that left them well behind in the title race and seeing them suffer an early European exit. Given just how poor their start was, the Red-Blues opted for an early managerial change, with former Austria national team manager Marcel Koller coming in to replace Raphael Wicky, who was lucky to survive the previous season in charge. Alex Frei, an important member of the board, also resigned during the autumn season, as the Red-Blues were in a state of turmoil both on and off the pitch. However, Koller is a proven and experienced manager and he eventually started to make his mark on the side. The Red-Blues improved as autumn season emerged and started playing really well after the winter break and displayed title-winning form in the majority of the spring season. Of course, a title push was not a possibility at this stage, but the Red-Blues managed to win the consolation prize that is the Swiss Cup, beating Thun in the final to win some silverware. There is little doubt that the Red-Blues are on an upward trajectory under Koller. Their goal now will be to strengthen over the summer and win the title back from Young Boys next time around.


Player of the Season: Luca Zuffi