Zurich had reasons for optimism going into the season that is now over, having won the Swiss Cup and finished fourth in the league last time around.
They started the new season well enough, both domestically and in Europe, and managed to get out of their Europa League group and set up a knock-out clash with Napoli, which they inevitably lost.
However, their European campaign proved to have been the sole positive they can really take out of the season, given that they were unable to maintain their early league form and ended up finishing seventh. Having failed to repeat their cup heroics from a year ago, they will not be playing in Europe next season.
What will particularly frustrate their fans is that Zurich have failed to display their trademark attacking-minded brand of football. Their 18 home games produced a total of only 36 goals, and while their home record was only behind Basel's and Young Boys', they have failed to do what they are known for and truly entertain their fans.
Ludovic Magnin has the excuse of having been dealt an extremely bad hand when it came to injuries, with several regular players missing months through fitness issues.
However, there is little doubt that the squad he had at his disposal is better than their finishing position suggests and it remains to be seen if FCZ will stick with their manager.
