When FC Basel won their eighth consecutive Swiss Super League title in 2017 it looked as though no one could stop them from reaching double digits.
Indeed, since the 2003/04 season, the club had won all but three of the league titles on offer during this time. Five Swiss Cup triumphs and back-to-back appearances in the last eight of the Europa League suggested that this was a dynasty which looked destined to continue for at least a few more years.
But after over a decade of feasting, the consequent seven years have seen Basel endure a severe famine, winning just a single cup between their last title triumph and now.
The 2022/23 campaign saw Basel endure their lowest ebb in recent memory, dropping to fifth in the league. Unthinkable during their heyday. Worse was to come in last year as they ended the 38-game season in eighth.
Fast forward to this season, however, and there’s a chance the club could be about to embark on another prolonged period of success. They currently lead the Swiss Super League by a point following a solid start to the 2024/25 campaign.
Basel’s impressive season start
Several management changes and leadership transitions turned Basel from a dominant force into a laughing stock. Eight different managers have taken charge of the club between 2017 and 2024 (Alexander Frei on two occasions).
Fabio Celestini was appointed in October 2023 and was tasked with cleaning up the mess left by his predecessors. Despite the eighth place finish last term, hopes are now high that the club could end their long title drought.
After 16 fixtures, the club currently top the league table, amassing 29 points, sitting clear of Lugano at the summit by a single point.
Basel have scored more goals than any other team (39) along with conceding the fewest (17) domestically. These building blocks could be the start of something very special.
Not only that, but the club rank first in the league for goals per match (2.4), big chances (45) and Expected Goals (32.1). With Basel conceding just 1.1 goals per game, ranking first in the league, it is clear that Celestini has finally got a tune out of his squad of players.
Bénie Traoré and Kevin Carlos both have six goals in the league, and Albian Ajeti has five. This trio will be crucial between now and the end of the season, yet is it a wily old veteran who is spearheading Basel’s title challenge this season?
The Curious Case of Xherdan Shaqiri
Of course, Xherdan Shaqiri began his career with Basel before making the move to the slightly brighter lights of German football, joining Bayern Munich in 2012.
From there, the diminutive forward enjoyed spells at Inter Milan, Stoke City, and Liverpool, where he won the Premier League and Champions League before moving on to Lyon in 2021.
After a spell with MLS side Chicago Fire, Shaqiri returned to his boyhood club in August, signing a three-year deal. At 32, there is no doubting the player is coming towards the end of his wonderful career, but he is still young enough to inspire Basel to glory.
And it’s been a case of so far so good for the former Liverpool star. Across 13 games in all competitions, Shaqiri has scored six times and registered seven assists, shining in the Super League in particular.
Used mainly as an attacking midfielder or out on the right flank, Celestini has certainly reignited a fire in the Swiss footballing icon, with Shaqiri at the forefront of everything positive about Basel this term.
In the top flight, Shaqiri ranks first for assists (7), big chances created (9), and Expected Assists (4.8), proving that there is life in the old dog yet.
His experience has been a vital component of Basel’s excellent start to the season. For example, during a tense clash with rivals Young Boys at the start of the October, Shaqiri delivered a delightful cross into the box where Adrian Barišić powered a header into the goal to make it 1-0 to the home side.
Young Boys had won six of the previous seven titles since Basel’s last triumph and considering they had won the first match of the season between the two, this result may have potentially altered the balance of power in Switzerland.
Since then, last season’s champions are enduring their own lull, languishing in ninth position, seemingly out of the title race already.
Thanks to Shaqiri, Basel have a wise old head in their squad who knows what it feels like to win a league title with the club.
After years of mismanagement and failings on the field, Celestini has certainly pulled off a masterstroke by luring the 32-year-old back to his homeland.
The next few months will be crucial, but if Basel can stay ahead of the trailing pack, the signing of Shaqiri might go down as the catalyst of a new era at St. Jakob-Park. For that is a certainty.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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