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It is precisely these duels that Taulant Xhaka (32) lives for. But even though he served his red card suspension just in time for the big win against YB, the FCB veteran has to sit on the bench on Saturday evening. The reason is Leon Avdullahu (19).
The homegrown plant has left its mark on the winter preparations in Basel. He started in all three test matches and scored a brace in the 2-2 draw against Greuther Fürth. The reward is not only a new contract until the summer of 2028, but also a permanent place in central midfield next to Renato Veiga (20).
Even in the 1-0 win over the leader from Bern, Avdullahu was allowed to play from the start and put in a convincing performance. The Solothurn player repeatedly strengthens Basel’s attacking play, completing 33 of his 37 passes to his teammate and ultimately clearly having the best success rate of his team.
The fact that his former protégé is joining FCB does not come as a surprise to Roland Vetter (58). When Avdullahu switched from FC Gerlafingen to FC Solothurn at the age of ten, he immediately caught the attention of the youth manager. “Leon was never physically superior to the others, but was always one step ahead in everything else,” says Vetter.
For him, Avudllahu is not Xhaka’s destined successor. “He also has many qualities in attack,” says Vetter, drawing a comparison with another former protégé: Fabian Rieder (21). “I see him at a similar level, especially when it comes to understanding the game,” said Vetter, who also managed the current Rennes professional at Solothurn. “I trust that Leon will follow the same path.”
Not only athletically, but also personally, Avdullahu has everything he needs for a great career. “He is a very calm man who remains down to earth. “Yet he was also a bit of a villain,” said Solothurn’s young boss. The two are still in occasional contact today. ‘He’s still watching me. He hasn’t gotten rid of it yet,” says Vetter.
Avdullahu will not be removed from Basel’s midfield for the time being. It is expected that he will also start against Winterthur on Tuesday evening – and will push Taulant Xhaka to the bench again.
| team | SP | T.D | PT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BSC Young Boys | 20 | 23 | 41 | |
| 2 | FC St. Gallen | 20 | 10 | 36 | |
| 3 | Napkin FC | 20 | 9 | 35 | |
| 4 | FC Zurich | 20 | 13 | 32 | |
| 5 | FC Lugano | 20 | 4 | 29 | |
| 6 | FC Lucerne | 20 | -5 | 28 | |
| 7 | FC Winterthur | 20 | -5 | 26 | |
| 8th | Grasshopper Club Zurich | 20 | 1 | 24 | |
| 9 | Yverdon Sports FC | 20 | -14 | 24 | |
| 10 | FC Basel | 20 | -9 | 22 | |
| 11 | FC Lausanne Sport | 20 | -7 | 20 | |
| 12 | FC Stade Lausanne Ouchy | 20 | -20 | 14 |
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
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