Young Boys celebrate a big win in Basel that puts them back in contention for the championship. However, the Bernese are exercising restraint in their hour of jubilation.
17.03.2025, 07:00
SDA
In a parallel world, footballers would perhaps make big declarations of intent after a game like Sunday's in Basel's St. Jakob-Park, standing up and confidently dictating into the microphones: "Yes, we're back. Yes, now we want to become champions."
But Young Boys are also a team of this world, which is why it is not surprising that the Bernese are not making any big statements after this 2:1 win at FC Basel, which brings them to within five points of leaders Servette. "Even if it's boring for you," says Loris Benito. "We just take it game by game. And I don't mean that as a cliché."
In recent weeks, the captain has repeatedly had the thankless task of explaining the fluctuations in his team's performance. He had to explain how this YB celebrated sometimes exhilarating home victories against Yverdon, Sion or Lausanne, only to lose to relegation candidates Winterthur and GC at Schützenwiese or Letzigrund in Zurich the following week.
In this respect, the 33-year-old prefers to stand up and talk about how well the team defended against the best offense in the Super League and how courageously they played going forward.
Fassnacht's calling card for Yakin
Christian Fassnacht, in particular, repeatedly posed problems for the Basel defense, and as the Zurich native stands on the plastic turf of the interview zone in the belly of the stadium, he has the kind of broad grin on his face that only a player who has made a decisive impact on this day can have.
With his two goals, Fassnacht is the match-winner for Young Boys, and even though the 31-year-old has already scored twice since his return to Bern in the winter, this double is of immense significance. But Fassnacht also prefers humility to cockiness. He says: "We've already eaten enough dirt this season. We know how quickly things can go in this league."
Fassnacht was apparently so convincing on the slippery surface of the Joggeli, however, that he is already being talked about a possible return to the national team, which will now meet for test matches against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in the next two weeks.
But the 19-time international is not losing his diplomatic touch on this subject either: "If I perform well at YB, I might be able to play again, but that's not just up to me." It's up to national team coach Murat Yakin, who also watched the game in the stadium.
Don't build castles in the air
On this evening, Young Boys adhered to the credo that all cautious things come in threes. Even Giorgio Contini was not tempted to make grandiose statements after Bern's first away win in Basel in the league since December 16, 2020. "A bit lucky, a bit deserved, and efficient", his team took the three points.
The YB coach has also heard the discussions about the Bernese side's weakness on the road, and you can hear a certain satisfaction in the 51-year-old's words when he says: "They said we couldn't play away, we couldn't play on grass. And now we're winning in Basel."
Last attempt: Can this YB become champions after all, Mr. Contini? "We're closer to staying in the top six again. We've come a long way and don't want to build any castles in the air now."
