2007–08 FC Basel season

FC Basel
2007–08 season
Chairman Switzerland Mrs Gisela Oeri
Manager Switzerland Christian Gross
Swiss Super League Champions
Swiss Cup Winners
UEFA Cup Round of 32
Top goalscorer League:
Switzerland Marco Streller (12)
All:
Switzerland Marco Streller (17)
Highest home attendance Swiss Super League
38,015 vs Young Boys
(10 May 2008)
UEFA Cup
16,360 vs Sporting CP
(13 February 2008)
Lowest home attendance Swiss Super League
17,845 vs Xamax
(9 February 2008)
UEFA Cup
9,203 vs Mattersburg
(16 August 2007)
← 2006–07 2008–09 →

FC Basel started the 2007–08 season, the 115th season in their existence and 13th consecutive in the top flight of Swiss football, with various warm-up matches against Swiss lower league teams as well as Austrian Bundesliga, German Bundesliga, Scottish Premier League and French Ligue 1 clubs. FCB were looking to win the Swiss championship title for the first time since 2005 and regain the cup title that they won the year before. They also had the opportunity to compete in the UEFA Cup.

Overview

At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Basel strengthened their team by signing Swiss internationalists Benjamin Huggel from Eintracht Frankfurt, Marco Streller from VfB Stuttgart and Alf Stewart on loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach. Carlitos transferred from Benfica in for an estimated €1.5 million (CHF 1,610,000). Five young talents were brought up from the under-21 team. In the other direction, fans' favourites Ivan Rakitić transferred to Schalke 04 (for an estimated CHF 4,830,000) and Mladen Petrić joined Borussia Dortmund (for an estimated CHF 5,635,000). Influential defender Boris Smiljanić returned to his former club, Grasshoppers.

During the winter break, highly rated Switzerland U-21 defender Beg Ferati arrived at St. Jakob-Park from feeder club Concordia Basel on a three-and-a-half-year contract. He was joined by midfielder Marko Perović from Red Star Belgrade and veteran striker Vratislav Lokvenc, on loan from Red Bull Salzburg. Also during the winter break Felipe Caicedo transferred to Manchester City on a four-and-a-half year deal with a £5.2 million transfer fee (CHF 10 million), which made his sale one of the highest transfers in the history of the Swiss League.

The campaign

Domestic league

Basel's priority for the season was to win the league championship. The Swiss Super League season began on 22 July. Basel's first game was at home to FC Zürich which was won 1–0. In the fourth and sixth round of the championship, Basel suffered two defeats, against BSC Young Boys and Grasshopper Club, and slid down to the fourth position in the league table. It took them two months before they climbed back to the leading position. Basel stayed at the top of the table until virtually the end of the championship, slipping to second position twice, but they were strong enough to regain the lead. Basel won the Swiss Super League for the first time since 2005 on the 10 May 2008 at St. Jakob-Park after a 2-0 win over their main title threats BSC Young Boys.

The championship decision was made in the last game of the season. Basel needed only a point from the match to win the Championship, however if Young Boys won then they would have become champions. This was exactly the same situation as the end of the 2005–06 season, then the final match was between Basel and Zürich then. The painful memories of losing the league on the last day of the season in 2006 and the resulting 2006 Basel hooligan incident seemed to spur FCB on. Basel took an early lead through Valentin Stocker and a second goal scored by Marco Streller just a few minutes later wrapped up the victory well before half time.

Domestic Cup

Basel's clear aim for the 2007–08 Swiss Cup was to retain the title that they had won the year before. Basel entered the competition in the round of 64 on 19 September 2007 and were paired away against FC Léchelles, whom they beat 9–0 . They then faced SC Binningen away from home on 20 October, winning 6–1. They then faced a much tougher test in the third round, Grasshoppers at the Letzigrund on 25 October, but nonetheless won 1–0. On 15 December, Stade Nyonnais travelled to St. Jakob-Park for the quarter-final; Basel won 2–0, with both goals coming from Eren Derdiyok. The semi-final saw Basel beat FC Thun 1–0 on 27 February. Basel won the Swiss Cup for the second consecutive season after beating second-tier side AC Bellinzona 4–1 at St. Jakob-Park on 6 April. Derdiyok gave Basel the lead in the first half before Bellinzona equalised through Christian Pouga in the second. Daniel Majstorović restored the lead for Basel with a header and Swiss internationals Marco Streller and Benjamin Huggel scored one goal each to make the final scoreline 4–1 in Basel's favour.

Europe

Because Basel entered the 2007–08 UEFA Cup in the second qualifying round, with the goal to reach the group stage. Basel faced a tough opponent in the form of SV Mattersburg of Austria. Basel won the tie off with a 4–0 away win after a 2–1 victory at St. Jakob-Park. In the next round, Basel were drawn against Bosnian minnows FK Sarajevo in the first round, a tie that Basel won 8–1 on aggregate. Basel were then drawn into a group of death, Group D, alongside Brann, Dinamo Zagreb, Hamburger SV and Rennes, all of which were ranked within the top three of their respective leagues at the start of the stage.

Due to the fact that they had reached the group stage their aim was modified and was set as to remain in the competition over the winter break. Basel won their first UEFA Cup group game against Rennes at home 1–0 thanks to a Marco Streller header. Their next game was away to Dinamo Zagreb in which Basel earned a valuable away point thanks to on form goalkeeper Franco Costanzo, who kept the game at 0–0 for 90 minutes. They then faced Brann at St. Jakob-Park, where they won 1–0 through a Carlitos free-kick and were highly praised for playing attractive and flowing football. Basel then went to Germany to face Hamburg at the HSH Nordbank Arena, where they were fortunate to come away with a 1–1 draw. The goals courtesy of the two captains, Basel's Ivan Ergić and Hamburg's Ivica Olić. Basel then faced Sporting CP in the round of 32 after qualifying in second position in the group alongside first-placed Hamburg and third-placed Brann. Sporting CP finished third in their group in the UEFA Champions League, which is why they were dropped into the UEFA Cup. The first leg took place on the 13 February in Lisbon, where first-choice goalkeeper Franco Costanzo suffered an injured and Basel lost 2–0. The second leg did not fare any better for Basel. Costanzo was still injured and Basel lost 3–0 on the 21 February in the home match, resulting in them being knocked out.

This rounded off a highly successful season for Basel as they conquered on the domestic front, winning both the Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup, and reaching the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. Next season they will have the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League.

Club

The Management

Position Staff
Manager Switzerland Christian Gross
Assistant manager Switzerland Fritz Schmid
Fitness Coach Switzerland Thomas Grüter
Fitness Coach Switzerland Romain Crevoisier
Youth Team Coach Switzerland Patrick Rahmen
Youth Team Co-Coach Switzerland Sandro Kamber

Last updated: 17 May 2008
Source:

Kit

Supplier: Nike
Sponsor(s): Novartis

Home[1]
Away[1]

Source: Homepage FCB

Other information

Chairman Switzerland Mrs Gisela Oeri
Ground (capacity and dimensions) St. Jakob-Park (42,500 / 120x80 m)

Source: Homepage FCB

Players

First team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Argentina GK Franco Costanzo
3 Switzerland DF Ronny Hodel
4 Switzerland DF Michel Morganella
5 Sweden DF Daniel Majstorović (vicecaptain)
6 Japan DF Kōji Nakata
8 Switzerland MF Benjamin Huggel
9 Argentina FW César Carignano
9 Serbia MF Marko Perović
10 Switzerland FW Marco Streller
11 Australia MF Scott Chipperfield
12 Senegal MF Papa Malick Ba
14 Switzerland MF Valentin Stocker
15 Liechtenstein MF Franz Burgmeier
16 Switzerland MF Fabian Frei
17 Switzerland DF Patrik Baumann
No. Position Player
18 Liberia GK Louis Crayton
19 Czech Republic FW Vratislav Lokvenc
20 Argentina MF Felipe Caicedo
21 France DF François Marque
22 Serbia MF Ivan Ergić (captain)
23 Brazil FW Eduardo
24 Switzerland MF Cabral
25 Switzerland GK Jayson Leutwiler
(25) Switzerland GK Riccardo Meili
28 Switzerland DF Beg Ferati
30 Portugal MF Carlitos
31 Switzerland FW Eren Derdiyok
32 Switzerland DF Reto Zanni (vicecaptain)
34 Switzerland GK Oliver Stöckli
37 Switzerland MF David Degen

Multiple Nationality

Transfers summer 2007

In

3 Switzerland DF Ronny Hodel (from Young Boys - for 483,000 SFr)[2]
4 Switzerland DF Michel Morganella (from FC Basel II (U21))[3]
8 Switzerland MF Benjamin Huggel (from Eintracht Frankfurt - for 805,000 SFr)[4]
10 Switzerland FW Marco Streller (from Stuttgart - for 2,415,000 SFr)[5]
14 Switzerland MF Valentin Stocker (from FC Basel II (U21))[6]
16 Switzerland MF Fabian Frei (from FC Basel II (U21))[6]
24 Switzerland MF Cabral (from Lausanne-Sport - free transfer)[7]
25 Switzerland GK Jayson Leutwiler (from FC Basel II (U21))[6][8][9]
30 Portugal MF Carlitos (from Benfica - for 1,610,000 SFr)[10]
31 Switzerland FW Eren Derdiyok (from FC Basel II (U21))
9 Argentina FW César Carignano (return from loan to América)[6]

In on loan

7 Switzerland MF David Degen (loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach - Loan)[11]
(25) Switzerland GK Riccardo Meili (on loan from FC Concordia Basel 18 July to 7 August)[8][9]

Out

Bosnia and Herzegovina MF Damir Džombić (to Vaduz)[6]
Brazil FW Cristiano (to Willem II)[12]
Australia MF Mile Sterjovski (to Gençlerbirliği - free transfer)[6]
Croatia FW Mladen Petrić (to Borussia Dortmund - 5,635,000 SFr)[13]
Croatia MF Ivan Rakitić (to Schalke 04 - for 4,830,000 SFr)[14]
South Africa FW Delron Buckley (returned to Borussia Dortmund after loan)[6]
Switzerland DF Boris Smiljanić (to Grasshopper Club Zürich - 966,000 SFr)[15]

Out on loan

(25) Switzerland GK Yann Sommer (on loan to Vaduz)[16]
29 Switzerland MF Simone Grippo (on loan to FC Concordia Basel) [6][17]
(25) Switzerland GK Jayson Leutwiler (on loan to FC Concordia Basel 18 July to 7 August)[8][9]

Transfers winter 2007-08

In

9 Serbia MF Marko Perović (from Red Star Belgrade)[18][19]

In on loan

19 Czech Republic FW Vratislav Lokvenc (on loan from Red Bull Salzburg from 14 February until 30 June 2008)[20]
34 Switzerland GK Oliver Stöckli (on loan from FC Winterthur from 19 February until 30 June 2008)[21]

Out

9 Argentina FW César Carignano (released from contract)[22]
20 Argentina MF Caicedo (to Manchester City)[18][19]
-- Switzerland FW Danijel Subotić (to Portsmouth F.C.)[23]

Out on loan

17 Switzerland DF Patrik Baumann (on loan to FC Concordia Basel 1 January to 30 June)[24]
15 Liechtenstein MF Franz Burgmeier (on loan to Thun 5 January to 30 June)[25]

Results and fixtures

Friendly matches

Pre-season/First half of season friendlies

Winter break/Second half of season friendlies

Swiss Super League 2007–08

for main article, see Swiss Super League 2007–08

First half of season

Second half of season

League table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Basel (C) 36 22 8 6 73 39+34 74 2008–09 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round
2 Young Boys 36 21 7 8 82 49+33 70 2008–09 UEFA Cup Second qualifying round
3 Zürich 36 15 11 10 58 43+15 56
4 Grasshopper Club Zürich 36 15 9 12 57 49+8 54 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup Second round
5 Aarau 36 11 14 11 47 48−1 47
6 Luzern 36 10 14 12 40 49−9 44
7 Sion 36 11 10 15 48 51−3 43
8 Neuchâtel Xamax 36 10 11 15 48 55−7 41
9 St. Gallen 36 9 7 20 39 69−30 34 Relegation play-off
10 Thun (R) 36 6 8 22 30 70−40 26 Relegation to the 2008–09 Challenge League

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Season progression chart

2007–08 Swiss Cup

for main article, see 2007–08 Swiss Cup

2007–08 UEFA Cup

For more information, see 2007–08 UEFA Cup

Second qualifying round

For more information, see 2007–08 UEFA Cup qualifying rounds

Basel win 6-1 on aggregate

First round

Group stage

Group D
Final table
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Germany Hamburger SV 431071+610
Switzerland Basel 422031+28
Norway Brann 411234-14
Croatia Dinamo Zagreb 402225-32
France Rennes 402226-42

Knockout stage

Sporting won 5–0 on aggregate.

Overall

Basel participated in the following major competitions: the Swiss Super League, the Swiss Cup and the UEFA Cup.

Competition Started round Final
position / round		 First match Last match
Swiss Super League — Winner 22 July 200710 May 2008
Swiss Cup Round of 64 Winner 16 September 20076 April 2008
UEFA Cup Second qualifying round Round of 32 16 August 200721 February 2008

Source: Competitions

Statistics

Total goalscorers

Updated to games played 10 May 2008

Swiss Super League goalscorers/assists

Updated to games played 10 May 2008

Swiss Cup goalscorers

Updated to games played 6 April 2008

European goalscorers

Updated to games played 21 February 2008

European Scorer Goals
Portugal Carlitos
5
Switzerland Marco Streller
4
Serbia Ivan Ergić
4
Ecuador Felipe Caicedo
3
Switzerland Benjamin Huggel
1
Total goals scored
17

Honours and awards

References

  1. 1 2 (Italian) FC Basel. "FC Basel - Sito Ufficiale - Prima Squadra" (in German). Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  2. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "FCB verpflichtet Ronny Hodel" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  3. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Vertrag mit Michel Morganella bis 2011" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  4. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "FCB verpflichtet Benjamin Huggel" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  5. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Marco Streller zum FCB" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 FC Basel 1893 (2007). "FCB-Transfers im Sommer 2007" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  7. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Adelson Cabral vom FC Lausanne-Sport zum FCB" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  8. 1 2 3 FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Torhütertausch: Meili für Leutwiler" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  9. 1 2 3 FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Retour-Rochade der Torhüter Leutwiler und Meili" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
  10. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Carlitos-Transfer zum FC Basel 1893 perfekt" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  11. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2013). "David Degen leihweise zum FCB zurück" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
  12. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2013). "Cristiano zu Willem II Tilburg" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
  13. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Mladen Petric wechselt zu Borussia Dortmund" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
  14. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Ivan Rakitic zu Schalke 04" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  15. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Smiljanic hat gekündigt" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
  16. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Vierjahresvertrag für Yann Sommer ? Spielpraxis in Vaduz" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  17. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2007). "Simone Grippo leihweise zu Concordia Basel" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
  18. 1 2 FC Basel 1893 (2008). "Caicedo zu Manchester City, Perovic zum FC Basel 1893" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  19. 1 2 20min.ch (2008). "FCB-Star wechselt in die Premier League" (in German). 20min.ch. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
  20. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2008). "Stürmer Vratislav Lokvenc leihweise zum FCB" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
  21. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2008). "Oliver Stöckli leihweise zum FCB" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  22. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2008). "Vertrag zwischen FCB und Carignano aufgelöst" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  23. ↑ Rutledge, Lewis (7 January 2008). "Pompey swoop for Swiss striker". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  24. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2008). "Patrik Baumann leihweise zu Concordia" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  25. ↑ FC Basel 1893 (2008). "Franz Burgmeier leihweise zum FC Thun" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2008-01-05.

External links

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