Thun's championship schedule, a classic and the fear of relegation

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• FC Thun are almost certain to become Swiss champions. It could be April 11 at the earliest.
• YB travels to FC Basel on Saturday for the classic. It is an important duel in the battle for one of the coveted Europa Cup places.
• At the bottom of the table, bottom-placed Winterthur and GC are engaged in a long-distance duel in the fight against relegation.

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After the national team break, everyday life returns to the Super League. But there is little that is ordinary this season, especially at the top. While the anticipation of a historic championship celebration is growing in the Bernese Oberland, important points are at stake elsewhere in the battle for Europe and against relegation.

It's actually been clear for a long time. The whole of Swiss football knows that one day the time will come and FC Thun will crown its historic season with its first championship title. As a promoted club with limited financial resources. As a club that has had to sound the alarm time and again in recent years that the situation on the bank accounts is so precarious that the continued existence of a professional football operation is by no means assured in the long term.

This FC Thun will soon be celebrating and causing ecstasy between Stockhorn Arena and Mühleplatz. The award-winning Blick football podcast "Forza" recently discussed the fact that the Bernese Oberland club's comfortable lead at the top of the Super League means that many things are ready for a lavish celebration. But a balcony like the one on Basel's Barfüsserplatz, which is traditionally used by the local FCB to allow players and staff to celebrate with the fans far above the crowds, is something you won't find in Thun.

The presenter speculated with a wink in the podcast as to whether they will erect temporary scaffolding. It's a problem that those responsible in the Bernese Oberland will certainly be happy to solve, buoyed by the euphoria. But when will the time actually come? When is the earliest the corks could pop?

The facts speak for themselves: after 31 rounds, FC Thun sit at the top with 71 points, a full 15 points ahead of their closest rivals FC St. Gallen (56 points). As the season comprises a total of 38 matches, there are exactly seven games remaining. This means that a maximum of 21 points are still up for grabs. Thun therefore need exactly seven points on their own to secure the championship title with absolutely no chance of catching them.

Speaking of YB. The Bernese side travel to FC Basel on Saturday for the classic. The former summit of the Super League has lost its championship luster this season. Nevertheless, it is not just a prestigious duel that will take place in Basel's St. Jakob Park, but one that could point the way to who secures a place in the European Cup this season. YB are currently only in 6th place with 46 points, while Basel are in 3rd place with 52 points. Both teams urgently need to score points to keep their chances of securing the lucrative European Cup. For the ambitious Bernese in particular, a defeat at the Joggeli would probably put an end to their hopes of at least finishing a disappointing season in a position that would qualify them for European competition.

Hope is back in Winterthur. Hope for the next football miracle on the Schützenwiese. Last year, FCW managed to stay in the league in extremis under Uli Forte. This time, under the return of Patrick Rahmen, it is at least fighting to maintain its place in the Super League in a barrage. And thus banish Grasshoppers to last place and once again to the second tier. There were times when even the boldest optimists would not have believed that these Winterthur players had a future in the Super League. Five points won and four GC defeats later, however, the belief in the next miracle has grown.

The gap to the once proud record champions is still five points. Every point can be vital at this stage. In this respect, Winterthur will be keen to pick up points in Lausanne on Saturday and put the Grasshoppers under pressure ahead of their game against Sion on Monday. Especially as the following week sees the big direct duel on the Schützenwiese.

While all teams in the top half of the table still have hopes of a European Cup place, there are teams in the bottom half for whom preparations for the new season have basically already begun. Lucerne, Servette, Lausanne and Zurich are to a certain extent in neutral: Winterthur and GC are in no danger of becoming embroiled in the relegation battle at the bottom and the top six are out of reach at the top, meaning that the remaining games this season are little more than test matches under competitive conditions.

In any case, it is quite possible that the coaches will use the opportunity to give young players time in the top division. And perhaps even play their way to the top of the league's youth trophy: A bonus of CHF 500,000 will be divided proportionally according to minutes played among the three clubs that have used the most young players (born in 2004 or later) during the season.