Basel champions with five matches still to play
Saturday, April 30, 2016
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"It is a relief, a unique feeling, something new for me," said Urs Fischer after guiding Basel to their seventh consecutive Swiss Super League in his first season as coach.
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Basel have wrapped up the Swiss championship with an unprecedented five games to spare, sealing their seventh successive Super League title with a 2-1 home victory against Sion.
The St. Jakob-Park club have a 16-point lead over Young Boys, who had triumphed at Grasshoppers earlier on Saturday. The 19th title in Basel's history was never in doubt thanks to the club's commanding start. Urs Fischer's side began the season with eight consecutive league wins and were ten points clear by the time the winter break commenced in early December.
Fischer was thus left to reflect on a positive debut season as Basel coach. "It's clear that it's the toughest thing to finish it off," he said. "That speaks for the consistency we have displayed all season. It is a relief, a unique feeling, something new for me."
Basel lost to Sion on penalties in the Swiss Cup quarter-finals before Christmas and were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League – the final of which will be played in their stadium – by holders Sevilla at the last-16 stage.
