The Red-Blue Lanterns on a journey of self-discovery: Xhaka: “I am used to collecting titles with FCB”

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

It’s the perfect time to rummage through the clothes box and pull out Rudi Völler’s legendary angry speech. The national coach said at the time that the journalists would write about a low point, an even lower low point and an even lower low point than the lowest low point. Or so. And wrongly. The legendary angry speech celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year.

FC Basel, on the other hand, has reached its lowest point without any discussion. Since – not exactly since time immemorial – but almost, it would have to be around 1987, he has been the only last person again. Not on the same points with the rankings and Lausanne as before I went to Wankdorf. Only.

Taulant Xhaka honestly admits: “I could never have imagined that FCB would be in last place in October. I’m used to collecting titles with FCB.” But maybe this situation is what we need to return to reality. “Of course looking at the table worries you. But the season is still long. I’m not in panic.”

Vogel sees progress

And yet: the reduction that means you miss the Champions Group and therefore the international business community is already ten points ahead of Basel. Well, if you assume Servette overtakes Yverdon, that’s eight points ahead of the Geneva team. This is no piece of cake. Certainly not for a club that is on a journey of discovery. And that won’t be easy in the two weeks that the national team is active when eight national players are on the road…

Until further notice, coach and sports director Heiko Vogel also knows this, who is facing a 0-3 defeat for the second time: “Certainly. It’s the same result. But those were completely different games. We have stated a lot here. But we miss the power of YB. And the efficiency. But that was a step in the right direction.” Basel lost 3-0 there, where they had not won for seven years. This has become normal since YB took over the hegemony in Swiss football. So no broken leg. But now it seems the Red Lantern in the bend of the Rhine.

The table is ugly for red-blue. “Even though she is, I look at her,” says a pain-free bird. ‘This is a snapshot. At the same time the reality. And we have to face this.” He likes to use the word ‘suffering’. Because that is where Basel is going now. “There is no shortcut, nor an acceleration lane.”

But with which trainer should this Stations of the Cross be taken? Xhaka comes forward as a Vogel fan: “Every player would like Heiko as a coach. But management knows best what to do. Heiko puts his heart and soul into it. Every player is happy with him. He also prepared us very well for the match in Bern.”

And the sports director? He believes he will remain in office until the end of the Nati break. “But now only the team is important. Training session after training to get out of this mess.” And himself? “I am in it with all my heart and it will remain that way.”

Itten also scores as a joker against Basel

The fact is: the dismissal of Heiko Schultz (whose name, by the way, was on the first version of the team rosters for the match…) had no effect. First a disgraceful match against SLO. 0:3. Then an acceptable one from the master. 0:3. So was the timing of the change wrong? Vogel: “We can question that. Was it too early? Was it too late? Both questions are legitimate. And even with the knowledge I have today, I don’t have an answer. And yet: maybe I should have intervened earlier. I blame myself.”

While no one in Basel knows exactly what the future will bring, things are completely different in Bern. You are relaxed and enter the national team break with a swollen chest of pride. YB remains the leader after losing points. And wins matches with an efficiency that is terrifying. Three shots on goal from the pathetic Marwin Hitz. Three goals. And Basel’s FCB terror Cedric Itten scores his obligatory goal against his parent club with a short joke – it’s his eleventh.

Source : Blick