As a matter of fact, I'd have preferred Liverpool for Basel, too. I mean, Dnipropetrovsk in the Last 32, and then far away into Eastern Europe for the Last 16 again? No fun at all! Liverpool would have been way more agreeable for the traveling fans.

Well, I really hope that Basel will manage to get past Zenit as well. They won't be easy at all, but with Basel one never knows. Finally the team starts clicking again after they lost Abraham, Xhaka and Shaqiri, and so one can expect some spirited matches.

Subday's Swiss Super League match:

FC Basel 1893 vs Grasshopper Club Zürich

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Schär, Dragovic, Park; Cabral; Fabian Frei (83. David Degen), Serey Die, Elneny (55. Salah), Stocker (68. Zoua); Streller.

Grasshopper Club: Bürki; Xhaka, Vilotic, Lang, Pavlovic; Abrashi, Toko; Hajrovic (78. Brahimi), Ben Khalifa (67. Gashi), Zuber; Ngakumol (84. Feltscher).






Yann Sommer defying gravity


Yann Sommer collided with a GC player when he made a flying save in the thick of the battle, but fortunately he could continue (the other guy, too)


Roman Bürki kept his goal immaculately clean, just like Yann Sommer on the other side.

FT - FC Basel 1893 0:0 Grasshopper Club Zürich

Swiss Cup Quarter Final: FC Thun vs FC Basel 1893

FC Thun: Faivre; Lüthi (78. Salamand), Reinmann, Schindelholz, Schirinzi; Bättig; Steffen (64. Wittwer), Zuffi, Demiri (67. Betrat), Ferreira; Schneuwly.

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Sauro, Dragovic, Steinhöfer; Elneny; David Degen (62. Salah), Yapi (62. Fabian Frei), Serey Die (106. Zoua), Diaz; Alex Frei.

12.) 0:1 - Alex Frei (assist by Philipp Degen)
79.) 1:1 - Marco Schneuwly (assist by Mathieu Salamand)
Extra time!
115.) 1:2 - Alex Frei (assist by Fabian Frei)

FT - FC Thun 1:2 FC Basel 1893 (AET)

Oh, and while I'm at it - here's some space left to post another cute Yann Sommer pic from last week's post-match interview:

Sunday's Swiss Super League match:

Servette FC vs FC Basel 1893

Servette FC: Barroca; Diallo, Schneider, Mfuyi, Rüfli (82. Moiubandje); Kossoko, Kouassi, Pasche (92. Pont), Tréand (79. Lang); Karanovic, Vitkieviez.

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Sauro, Dragovic, Park; Cabral (62. Elneny); Zoua, Serey Die, Fabian Frei (62. Salah), Stocker; Alex Frei (74. Ajeti).

29.) 0:1 - Dragovic (assist by Stocker)
46.) 1:1 - Karanovic (assist by Diallo)
63.) 1:2 - Dragovic (assist by Alex Frei)


(c) Hans-Jürgen Siegert/fcb.ch

FT - Servette FC 1:2 FC Basel 1893

This match had a really hilarious component. Aleksandar Dragovic, who scored the winning brace against Servette, had a bet running with Basel's assistant coach: If he'd score a headed goal, the coach was supposed to run a round around the stadium. So right after he scored his header for the 2:1, Dragovic made a rather rude gesture towards said coach.

Unfortunately, the main stand of the Servette fans was just behind the coaches' area, and so the referee interpreted the "F you" gesture as an insult towards the Servette fans and promptly, Dragovic was awarded his 2nd yellow card and thus he got his marching orders.

Basel still won the match, but was helped that one of the Servette players also got sent off just some minutes before. ^^


"Rudelbildung" (lit. "forming a pack") when Dragovic was sent off right after his goal

Europe League - Last 16:

FC Basel 1893 vs FC Zenit St.Petersburg

07 Mar 2013, 21:05 GMT+1 in Basel, St.Jakob-Park

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Schär, Dragovic, Park; Serey Die (70. Elneny), Cabral; Salah, Diaz, David Degen (62. Steinhöfer); Zoua (79. Alex Frei).



FC Zenit St.Petersburg: Malafeev; Hubocan, Luis Neto, Lombaerts, Rodic; Denisov; Danny (82. Kerzhakov), Shirokov, Witsel, Semak (46. Fayzulin); Hulk.




Yann Sommer started as Basel's captain today


Another clean sheet for my favourite GK <3

FT: FC Basel 1893 2:0 FC Zenit St.Petersburg

THANK YOU

@Messiah - Now's to hope that the 2nd leg against Zenit will be as successful!

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Sunday's Swiss Super League match:

FC Basel 1893 vs BSC Young Boys

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Schär, Sauro, Park; Serey Die, Cabral; Alex Frei, Diaz (74. Elneny), Stocker (74. Salah); Streller (81. Zoua).

BSC Young Boys: Wölfli; Sutter, Nef, Bürki, Raimondi; Schneuwly (60. Farnerud), Zverotic, Doubai, Nuzzolo (77. Zarate); Frey (72. Tabakovic), Gerndt.

37.) 1:0 - Alex Frei
62.) 2:0 - Marco Streller (assist by Valentin Stocker)
85.) 3:0 - Fabian Schär (assist by Alex Frei)

This was the 10th competitive match in a row that FC Basel kept a clean sheet in the St.Jakobs-Park. Yay Yann Sommer! <3



FT - FC Basel 1893 3:0 BSC Young Boys

Basel aren't first in the league?? Just checked the table and Grasshopped is leading by 2 points

What is going on???

Grasshopper barely survived relegation last season too

Well, just like the last season, Basel totally messed up the start into the current season. This was to be expected, though, as they lost their top attacker Xherdan Shaqiri (to Bayern), top midfielder Granit Xhaka (to BMG) and top defender David Abraham (to Getafe) - so they had to replace their main axis. (Actually the same happened to BMG with their loss of Dante, Neustädter and Reus.)

It took Basel a while to properly integrate the new players they aquired (Mohamed Salah, Marcelo Diaz, Gaston Sauro and the winter transfers Serey Die and El Neny) and in October, Heiko Vogel was sacked and replaced by Murat Yakin, who had to implement his ideas first, too.

I guess within the next 1-2 weeks, Basel will manage to catch or even overtake the Grasshopper Club and then start to build up a proper lead, just like they did last season when they were up to 8 points behind FC Luzern (matchday 10) to end with a 20 point lead before FC Luzern (matchday 38) as Swiss Champions.

Europe League - Last 16:

FC Zenit St. Petersburg – FC Basel 1893

14 Mar 2013, 18:00 GMT+1 in St.Petersburg, Petrowski-Stadion

FC Zenit: Zhevnov; Anyukov, Bruno Alves (73. Bystrov), Lombaerts, Hubocan; Witsel (91. Bukharov), Denisov, Shirokov; Hulk, Kerzhakov, Danny (84. Fayzulin).

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen (91. Steinhöfer), Schär, Dragovic, Park; Cabral, Elneny; Salah, Diaz, Stocker (18. Fabian Frei); Streller (65. Sauro).

Valentin Stocker had to be subbed off after he sustained a face injury due to a reckless elbow check by a Zenit player. Together with Serey Die's suspension due to a booking in the first leg, this weakened Basel quite a bit.

30.) 1:0 - Axel Witsel (assist by Lombaerts)

In the 44th minute, Marcelo Diaz was sent off after a second yellow card. Basel then had to play the full second half with one man down. It took a resolute defensive effort (plus a little luck) to deny Zenit the second goal.

Everything seemed to be in vain when in the 85th minute a reckless effort to clear a ball in the box by Joo Ho Park led to a booking for him and a penalty for Zenit. Zenit's captain Shirokov decided to kick it, but Yann Sommer managed a heroic save.

Just look at this amazing guy - it's seconds before the possibly decisive penalty, and Yann Sommer just grins at Zenit's captain Shirokov who is about to shot



FT: FC Zenit St.Petersburg 1:0 FC Basel 1893

Take this!




Yann Sommer couldn't stop grinning happily in the post match interview <3

FC Basel's trip to St.Petersburg looks to be a real adventure journey. When they flew towards Russia, they had to make an emergency stop due to some health problems of Mohamed ElNeny, and now on the journey back to Switzerland, the landing gear of the airplane striked. It couldn't be drawn in after the start, so the aircraft had to return to St.Petersburg. Before landing there, they had to fly around the airport for 1.5 hours to use enough fuel to make the touch down safer. Fortunately everything went fine, but at the moment they are still stuck at the St.Petersburg airport.

The players waiting for the flight back to Basel:





So I wholeheartily wish for a kind EL draw this noon. Not Rubin Kasan, please - Basel aready had two Eastern European adventure trips in the play-off rounds!

Sunday's Swiss Super League match:

FC Basel 1893 vs FC Thun

FC Basel: Sommer; Steinhöfer, Schär, Dragovic, Park; Serey Die, Yapi (64. Salah); Zoua (46. Fabian Frei), Diaz; Alex Frei (83. Eleneny); Streller.

FC Thun: Faivre; Lüthi, Reinmann, Ghezal, Schirinzi; Bättig (84. Siegfried), Demiri; Ferreira, Krstic (66. Salamand), Wittwer; Schneuwly (78. Sadik).

81.) 1:0 - Marco Streller (assist by Marcello Diaz)

The 11th competitive match in a row that FC Basel kept a clean sheet in the St.Jakob-Park. Yann Sommer FTW! <3


(c) by Sacha Grossenbacher/fcb.ch

FT - FC Basel 1893 1:0 FC Thun

And now for the first time this season, FC Basel is on top of the table of the Swiss Super League:


(click to enlarge)

@Messiah

By the way, as Basel won 4:0 in Luzern and GC lost their match against Thun, now they are getting serious again and build on the GD difference of last matchday:

Europe League - Quarter Final:



Tottenham Hotspur FC – FC Basel 1893

4 April 2013, 21:05 GMT+1 in London, White Hart Lane


Just arrived in London...

Tottenham Hotspur FC: Friedel; Naughton, Gallas, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto (58. Dawson); Dembélé, Brave Scotty Parker; Lennon (24. Sigurdsson), Bale, Holtby (63. Dempsey); Adebayor.

FC Basel: Sommer; Steinhöfer, Schär, Dragovic, Voser; Fabian Frei; Salah (82. David Degen), Elneny, Serey Die (66. Cabral), Stocker; Streller (72. Zoua).

30.) 0:1 - Valentin Stocker (assist by Marco Streller)
34.) 0:2 - Fabian Frei
40.) 1:2 - Emmanuel Adebayor (assist by Brave Scotty Parker)
58.) 2:2 - Gylfi Sigurdsson (assist by Moussa Dembele)

After a well played draw in London, Basel kept a good chance to proceed to the EL semi final, if they manage a good match at home in the St.Jakob-Park.


Not amused because of 2 goals against

Now if Mohamed Salah would manage to convert his chances, then everybody would be even happier XD

Sunday's Swiss Super League match:

FC St. Gallen vs. FC Basel 1893

FC St. Gallen: Lopar; Mutsch, Montandon, Besle, Pa Modou; Nater, Janjatovic; Wüthrich (75. Martic), Scarione, Nushi; Etoundi (88. Sutter).

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Schär, Dragovic, Park; Cabral; Fabian Frei, Elneny, Serey Die, (60. Bobadilla), Yapi (6o. David Degen); Streller.

50.) 1:0 - Sebastien Wüthrich (assist by Nushi)
52.) 1:1 - Marco Streller (assist by Fabian Frei)

A rather dire match in which Basel's coach Murat Yakin rested some key players. Yann Sommer got a lot more work today than against Tottenham and saved everything bar one shot by Sebastien Wüthrich.

A busy boy today:

(c) by Sacha Grossenbacher/fcb.ch

FT - FC St.Gallen 1:1 FC Basel 1893

Europe League - Quarter Final, 2nd leg:



FC Basel 1893 vs Tottenham Hotspur FC
11 April 2013, 21:05 GMT+1 in Basel St.Jakob Park

FC Basel: Sommer; Philipp Degen, Schär, Dragovic, Park; Fabian Frei; Salah (111. Alex Frei), Elneny, Serey Die (59. Diaz), Stocker (70. Steinhöfer); Streller.



Tottenham Hotspur FC: Friedel; Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Naughton (79. Assou-Ekotto); Dembélé (59. Carroll), Brave Scotty Parker (77. Huddlestone); Holtby, Dempsey, Sigurdsson; Adebayor.



Goals:
23.) 1:0 - Clint Dempsey
27.) 1:1 - Mohamed Salah (assist by Marco Streller)
49.) 2:1 - Aleksandar Dragovic
82.) 2:2 - Clint Dempsey

Penalty shootout:
Fabian Schär: 3:2
Huddlestone, Sommer saves
Marco Streller: 4:2
Gylfi Sigurdsson: 4:3
Fabian Frei 5:3
Emmanuel Adebayor misses (shoots over the goal)
Marcelo Diaz: 6:3


Victory!!

FT: FC Basel 1893 6:3 Tottenham Hotspur FC (after penalty shoot-out)



This highly entertaining match made the makers of ran (German football tv show) select quite a couple of Basel players into their EL team of the week:

Rwo who do you want to draw in the Semis??

I really think Basel can dispatch Chelsea. Fener shouldn't be a problem either. I just hope you avoid Benfica at this point.

Benfica have been Basel's bane for a while. The Bebbi never looked good against them. Actually I'd hope for Fenerbahce as then Chelsea can try to dispatch Benfica in the other semi.

If Basel manage to defeat Fener, this would open the chance of a thrilling final - either against Chelsea or against their Nemesis Benfica in a one-legged event in Amsterdam.

In an interview today, Basel's coach Murat Yakin also said he'd love to meet Fener first and possibly Chelsea in the final, and I think he is pretty much right.

Sunday's Swiss Super League match:

FC Basel 1893 vs FC Zürich

FC Zürich: da Costa; Philippe Koch (87. Jahovic), Djimsiti, Raphael Koch, Benito; Beda; Mariani, Buff, Kukuruzovic (74. Chiumento), Drmic; Chermiti (65. Brunner).

FC Basel: Sommer; Steinhöfer, Schär, Dragovic, Voser; David Degen (76. Salah), Cabral, Diaz, Stocker; Bobadilla (55. Zoua), Alex Frei (65. Streller).

25.) 0:1 - Drmic
55.) 1:1 - Alex Frei
87.) 2:1 - Fabian Schär (PK)
88.) 3:1 - Mohamed Salah

FT - FC Basel 1893 3:1 FC Zürich

32 328 people in the St. Jakob-Park witnessed the farewell match of Alex Frei, FC Basel, Switzerland and Borussia Dortmund legend.

16 years ago, Alex Frei started his successful professional football career in Basel and today he hung up his boots in Basel after a second successful stint in red-blue where he won 3 Swiss league titles and two Swiss Cups, scoring 73 goals in 103 appearances between 2009 and 2013. As of now he will work as sports director of FC Luzern.

Good-bye Alex Frei:

(c) by Sacha Grossenbacher/fcb.ch


(c) by Sacha Grossenbacher/fcb.ch

Alex frei

why is he retiring before the season is over?

Sunday was his final match, so you could say he retired yesterday. Originally he wanted to retire with the end of the season, but FC Luzern sacked their sports director three or so weeks ago and offered Alex Frei that job, so he couldn't withstand the temptation to take up the offer.

FC Basel decided not to stand in his way when the opportunity arose, and they rescinded his still running contract amicably. For the match against Luzern, they didn't even call him up to avoid a conflict of interests, and now he is officially FC Luzern's sports director.

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

Best of luck to him!

Well, his first act as FC Luzern director was appointing a new coach - and he actually lured Basel's U21 coach away from them to Luzern XD