After their unsuccessful start to the season, Young Boys are showing a completely different face at European level. Here, too, a new self-image has developed in recent years.
28.08.2024, 02:03
28.08.2024, 07:12
SDA
Few would have believed that YB could achieve this: the Bernese team beat the great Galatasaray twice in the play-off and are once again in the Champions League. This would have been a surprise even without the unsuccessful start to the championship. Not only do the Turkish champions have the much more valuable squad, but they were also allowed to play the second leg in front of their own fans. An advantage that the Istanbul side did not know how to exploit.
However, YB's poor performances in recent weeks in particular have caused even their own fans to lose faith in their chances of reaching the top flight. Five games, two points, bottom of the table: this is the bitter league record of the team, which has a new coach in Patrick Rahmen after winning the league title last season.
"After a difficult start, we stuck together and have continuously improved with hard work," said the YB coach in an interview with "Blue" after the triumph in the "cauldron of Istanbul". This required a level of serenity that has also grown as a result of past successes.
Impressive consistency
For a long time, YB had to put up with the accusation that they could not hold their own in the European Cup. But since 2016, Young Boys have only failed to reach the group stage of a European competition once: two years ago, they lost on penalties to Anderlecht in the Conference League qualifiers. Otherwise, YB have long been among the European regulars, even if upward departures have been rare.
This consistency is also reflected in the UEFA coefficient, thanks to which YB is even seeded in Pot 3 in the Champions League. The Bernese are currently ahead of teams such as Celtic Glasgow, AS Monaco and Aston Villa. As in the championship, which YB has dominated with one exception since 2018, the club has also developed a new self-image in the European Cup. This is always passed on from the "old guard" to the newcomers.
Substitute goalkeeper Marvin Keller, who turned 22 in July, performed extremely well both after coming on as a substitute in Bern and when he started in Istanbul. "We prepared well and were focused on the essentials," analyzed the goalkeeper, as if he had long been used to this kind of performance. Only when asked did he admit that he was still "under pressure".
YB's success against Galatasaray also confirmed the saying often quoted by players that every competition has its own laws. It was somewhat reminiscent of FC Basel, who reached the semi-finals of the Conference League in the 2022/23 season, but crashed out of the championship. But the team from Bern don't want to let it get that far. There is enough time to make amends.
Fourth appearance since 2018
Young Boys' success is also a success for Swiss football. Switzerland is represented in the group or new league stage of the Champions League for the 16th time since 1992. Basel qualified eight times, Grasshoppers twice, Zurich and Thun once each. This is YB's fourth appearance after 2018, 2021 and 2023. The intervals between the Bernese club's successful qualifications have become shorter and shorter. This not only generates millions in revenue for the club, but also strengthens its reputation in Europe.
Last year, YB finished third in its Champions League group for the first time and thus spent the winter at European level. Now it will be interesting to see what will be possible in the new league format. The necessary self-confidence for the next high hurdles certainly seems to be there.
