Legend Erni Maissen about the classic: “In my time, the rivalry between FCZ and Basel was greater!”

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

Benjamin Kololli (31) will need a thick skin when he makes his first appearance for FC Basel in Letzigrund today. And not because of the freezing temperatures. But because Zurich’s southern bend is likely to receive a warm welcome. Just over two years ago, Kololli described the FCZ supporters as “by far the best in all of Switzerland”, now the French are suddenly wearing red and blue – and can prepare for a gauntlet run.

However, his coach Fabio Celestini is not afraid that Kololli is at his wits’ end: “He will give 110 percent. The last 10 percent maybe thanks to the whistles. Being booed during an away match is always good. Players who play poorly are never whistled.”

“You have to deal with it”

Someone who knows what it means to go from one arch-rival to another and be whistled at is Erni Maissen. In the summer of 1982, Reinacher went from FCB to FCZ. He has only half-good memories of his first return to jogging: “It was very uncomfortable for me. Of course the FCB fans weren’t cheering for me. But as a professional you have to deal with those kinds of things.”

The rivalry between FCZ and FCB used to be even greater, according to Maissen. Because there were more people from Basel and Zurich in their respective ranks. “Today it is different because almost all of them are mercenaries on the field and many players no longer know what it is all about. They have no DNA at all.”

Someone who has the DNA is called Taulant Xhaka. But the FCB terrier is missing due to suspension. For the umpteenth time. Maissen: “Unfortunately he gets in his own way. Maybe he’ll learn it from the seniors. And maybe even better if he doesn’t play against FCZ. Because he is hurting the team with his behavior. The classic already has enough emotions in it, you don’t need to arouse them anymore.”

Kololli knows the classic

Kololli also knows how many emotions are involved in a duel between eternal rivals. He played a total of eight times with FCZ against FCB. The most emotional happened in April 2019, when the Basel team won the cup semi-final 3-1 and formed a platoon towards the end of the match.

Nearly five years later, he wears red-blue instead of blue-white. And he must now be annoyed because he described the FCZ fans as “by far the best in Switzerland”. “As a professional footballer you sometimes have to be careful with what you say. Because you never know where you will end up,” says Maissen.

At the start of his professional career, he probably didn’t think he would ever play for FCZ. How did this come about? “I shared a room in the national team with the then FCZ player Heinz Lüdi and this came about from these conversations,” said Maissen.

After just one year, the Reinacher returned to his FCB. “It didn’t work, there was drama within the team,” Maissen remembers. Despite the short detour, the now 66-year-old is still warmly received in Zurich.

Kololli: “FCB is the biggest club in Switzerland”

At least warmer than Benjamin Kololli. When asked that the FCZ fans would probably not greet him with loud cheers, the 32-year-old replied at the beginning of January: “If I were younger, it would certainly be more difficult for me. But now I have the necessary experience and I can with dealing with such things.” Kololli said he had three wonderful years in Zurich, but now his heart is beating red and blue: “I am now at FCB and I will do everything I can to ensure that the club returns to the top.”

After all, FCB is the “biggest club in Switzerland,” according to Kololli. A statement that no FCZ fan will probably share.

Source : Blick