Six years after their last cup win, FC Basel are playing for the title again. The club leads the Super League with eight rounds to go. Xherdan Shaqiri's set pieces decide games, the squad is deep.
06.04.2025, 11:07
06.04.2025, 11:09
SDA
With a 2:1 home win against Grasshoppers on Thursday evening, Basel became the second team to qualify for the championship round. "An interim goal," said 1-0 goalscorer Dominik Schmid after the game. "The next goal is to stay up there." Coach Fabio Celestini confirmed their title ambitions: "We are where we are and we want to dream."
There are still three rounds to go before the league is split into two, with eight rounds remaining until the end of the season. The championship race is still completely open. Four points separate leaders Basel from fifth-placed Lugano, their next opponents on Sunday. Between them are Servette, Young Boys and Lucerne, while sixth-placed FC Zurich can also still hope to win the title.
The form barometer speaks in favor of Young Boys, who were still ten points behind the leaders at the beginning of February and have since picked up 24 points from ten games. But Basel, who only finished eighth last season, also have good arguments. The biggest is Xherdan Shaqiri.
Sugar passes and solid muscles
Welcomed with open arms and as a crowd favorite, but also accompanied by some skepticism due to his physical condition after two and a half unsatisfactory years in Chicago, the 33-year-old magic foot returned to his home club in August. His impact since then has been impressive. While Shaqiri was repeatedly absent in the USA due to muscular problems, he has never been absent from FC Basel since his return. It took him four league games to get going, but from then on he silenced his critics and delighted the fans.
Shaqiri has contributed 10 goals and 14 assists in the 22 Super League games since October. His set-pieces in particular are unparalleled nationwide. In addition to four penalties, Shaqiri converted two free kicks and one corner directly. And above all, he set up numerous goals with his crosses, such as Schmid's opening goal on Thursday. "If there's one thing 'Shaq' can do, it's standing balls," enthused Schmid after Shaqiri's cross for his goal against his former club. These are qualities that have been sorely lacking in the national team since Shaqiri's retirement last summer.
More than "Shaq"
Shaqiri is Basel's key element to the title. But not the only one. With 61 goals, coach Fabio Celestini's team not only has the strongest offense, the 32 goals conceded are also the best in the league. FCB won both games after the international break without defensive boss Adrian Barisic. Finn van Breemen, who regained his regular place alongside Barisic from Jonas Adjetey at the end of February, was also absent. But the absences had no negative impact. Nicolas Vouilloz, who had not been considered since the beginning of December, was back on top of his game straight away, just like Adjetey, despite his lack of match practice.
Basel expect Barisic back in May, while Van Breemen's season is over after a complex operation on the medial meniscus in his left knee. A problem? No, because the breadth of the squad also makes FC Basel a title contender. In offense, too, the points around top scorer Shaqiri are spread over many shoulders: Kevin Carlos scored nine times, Bénie Traoré eight times. Albian Ajeti has five goals, Philip Otele four and Anton Kade and Martin Soticek three each. Full-back Schmid set up five goals and scored four himself.
Can FCB pull away at the top on Sunday?
A surprising YB slip-up on Saturday will play into FCB's hands as they enter the home straight in the championship race. The Bernese side put in a very weak performance against Yverdon and can ultimately count themselves lucky to take a point from the 1-1 draw.
This gives FCB the chance to put five points between themselves and the defending champions from Bern against Lugano. Shortly before kick-off, the result from St.Gallen will also be of burning interest at the Joggeli. There, second-placed Servette will be playing for the points from 14:15.
A small disadvantage for Basel in the duel with Lugano, however, is the shorter recovery and preparation time. Lugano already played during the week on Tuesday (2:0 win in Yverdon) and thus 48 hours before FCB. If Lugano take advantage of this to gain three points, the two teams will meet again. The match will be broadcast live on blue Sport from 4.30 pm.
