The Swiss Super League will begin its final stretch of the season this weekend, as the league splits into two groups: the championship and relegation groups, which will start with the top and bottom six teams, respectively.
With only five games to go, it’s Basel who lead the pack with a six-point lead and a massive goal difference advantage on second-placed Servette, who they will meet to open the championship group round this Sunday.
Basel haven’t won the league title since the 2016/17 season, an eight-year drought which is the longest in the club’s history since the 22-year spell without a title between their wins in 1980 and 2002.
Not only is it their longest drought, but FCB even hit rock bottom as far as the Swiss top flight goes, not too long ago, as they sat in last place at one point during last year’s campaign.
It was then, in fact, when they brought in their current manager, former Switzerland international Fabio Celestini, who has sparked a Xabi Alonso-esque renaissance with the team, steering them from fighting relegation to now being on the cusp of a league title in just over 18 months.
In this tactical analysis and team analysis, we will examine Basel’s transformation this season from a period of stagnation back into a dominant force in Swiss football and a potential title-winning side.
Basel Preferred Systems & Early Season Struggles
Since Celestini’s arrival in fall 2023, Basel have shifted mostly between three different formations when setting out on the field—4-2-3-1, 3-4-3, and 4-4-2.
Celestini’s most preferred of the three is 4-2-3-1, which he also used in his previous jobs at Sion, Luzern, Lugano, and Lausanne.
However, he is known to be flexible and adaptable, adjusting his approach according to the results and circumstances.
After initially hitting a rough spell last spring, when the team struggled following a promising start under his management, he switched to a 3-4-3 formation, which helped FCB end the season on an eight-game unbeaten streak and set a platform to build on going into the 2024/25 campaign.
Naturally, he decided to continue this approach into the new season.
Still, after a stuttering start with four losses in the first eight league games, he abandoned the tactic and reverted to his preferred system.
He hasn’t looked back since.
Although Basel have played with two forwards on occasion in a 4-4-2 scheme, mainly in the Swiss Cup against lower opposition, they have stuck with the back-four defensive system with a double pivot midfield in front of them and an attacking midfielder flanked by two wingers and a forward up front throughout this campaign since that rough start.
Basel Direct Attacking Approach & Combination Plays
Celestini has admitted on several occasions during his coaching career that he loves to play and watch attacking football and wants his players to enjoy themselves on the field as well.
His mantra is all about sending numbers forward and getting the ball in advanced areas as quickly as possible, evidenced by Basel’s impressive 158.67 forward passes per game and 4.42 passes per possession stats this season.
That last stat, in particular, is a good indicator of a side that doesn’t take a patient, methodical approach to moving the ball from back to front, which is the case because Basel likes to play more directly, starting from goalkeeper Marwin Hitz, rather than slowly passing through the lines.
An example of that can be seen above from their most recent league game at home to Yverdon Sport.
We can see both centre-backs moving wide, either side of Hitz, to offer lateral passing options.
Meanwhile, right-back Joe Mendes, at the top of the picture, is already moving forward before the ball is played, joining the attack.
Left-back Nicolas Vouilloz sits deeper on the opposite side.
It is a fairly standard set-up structurally for any attacking side, particularly in terms of the positioning of the defenders when in possession.
However, what distinguishes them as a more direct team is the space occupied by the front six players on the field.
Often, Xherdan Shaqiri, who usually plays as a #10 behind the striker, likes to drop deep during this phase in possession, as in this example, to drag out opposing defenders and open up space for the front players to move into and receive the ball in dangerous areas.
The defensive midfielders forming their double pivot here take up a higher position rather than coming close to receive the ball.
With Yverdon’s man-to-man coverage, Basel can gain more numbers moving forward against their short-handed backline when the long ball is eventually played.
That’s one variation of their build-up approach; another involves the players in the double pivot taking a more active role by dropping deeper to receive the ball before quickly turning and looking to play it forward.
A good example of this is from the same game, where Leon Avdullahu sensed the opportunity to drop deep and pick up the ball from Hitz under no pressure, with his midfield partner, Metinho, moving in front of him.
Eventually, we see Bénie Traoré pop up in the picture coming infield from his right-wing position, which is occupied by the overlapping Mendes once again.
Still, Avdullahu tries to play the ball further ahead, which is briefly cut out before coming to Traoré.
Then, in the next phase, we can see striker Albian Ajeti coming closer to play a one-two with Traoré, dragging the Yverdon defenders out of position in the process.
This then opens up the gap in behind for Shaqiri to run into, and he ends up receiving the final through ball from Traoré before finishing clinically to make it 2-0.
An entire sequence of play that took place in about ten seconds, if that, which led to a Basel goal—the sort of quick attacking play that Celestini has instilled in this side throughout the season.
Another thing Celestini has embedded into this side is allowing players to express themselves on the field rather than trying to achieve perfection, which he admitted in a February interview with Blue Sport.
That freedom of expression particularly comes into effect when they are able to get the ball moving toward the opposing goal and get their front men, like Shaqiri and Traoré, among others, involved.
A good example of this is their willingness to try and combine with a one-two passing move, which we’ve already seen from the Yverdon game and can see again below from the Young Boys match in mid-March.
Philip Otele, another addition this season on loan from the UAE, who has flourished in this attacking side, receives the ball at left wing and comes inside, looking to bring the play infield before combining with Shaqiri, who is in a more forward position here with Basel trailing the game.
Shaqiri’s touch is just enough for Otele to pick the ball back up after continuing his run before scything through the opposition’s defense and finishing in front of goal to equalize.
Basel are the only side in the league with three players in the top 10 goalscoring charts, with summer signings Shaqiri, Traoré, and Kevin Carlos all sitting on double figures there, which is a credit to the attacking platform and approach Celestini’s tactics that have allowed these players and others to flourish offensively all season long.
As a whole, Basel has scored 72 goals in the first 33 rounds of the season, which is 20 more than the second-best offence, with their direct approach leading to potent and excellent outcomes on the attacking side.
Xherdan Shaqiri Set Pieces
Another aspect of their offence to note is undoubtedly the set-piece abilities of their returning homegrown star and captain, the 32-year-old Shaqiri.
While Shaqiri is the league’s leading goalscorer with 14 goals, it’s his 17 assists that really makes him and this team, particularly this season.
A significant number of those have come from dead-ball situations, which is something he has excelled at throughout his career, playing for top clubs like Liverpool and Bayern Munich, as well as for the Swiss national team.
Here are a couple of more recent examples of Basel using this weapon in their locker to add to their impressive goal tally this season.
The first is from the away trip to St. Gallen, with Shaqiri opting to deliver a corner kick from the right-hand side low towards the near post.
A tricky ball to defend for the opposition and a touch from Otele was all that was needed for it to result in a goal.
Another notable example is from the more recent home win against Grasshoppers, where Shaqiri lifted the ball towards the back post from a long-range indirect free kick.
The ball is hit with just the perfect weight and sets up Dominik Schmidt for a free header, which he buries from close range.
Shaqiri has even netted a few of his goals himself from set-piece situations, unsurprisingly from one of Switzerland’s finest products of this century, who has proven that he still has more to give in this stunning campaign, now back at the club that gave him his professional breakthrough.
Conclusion
Basel have become a rejuvenated side under Celestini tactics, with the club going from the bottom of the league to the very top in just 18 months.
An attack-minded philosophy marked by the signing of some quality young players, alongside the return of Shaqiri, has helped bring them back to the summit of Swiss football for the first time in eight years.
With only five league games left and a cup final against third-tier Biel-Bienne to come, it’s looking likely that a league and cup double is in store for FCB, who are now well and truly back to where they belong after a disappointing few years.
