Leader YB is also at the top in foul stats

YB is so dominant in the Super League this season that the Berner almost never has to commit a foul? Incorrect! Leader YB is also at the top in foul stats. 294 fouls in 21 rounds, which is an average of exactly 14 fouls per game. No other team makes mistakes more often.

Only behind YB are Winterthur, GC, Sion and Zurich with values ​​from 270 to 255. The teams from the second half of the table, which you would expect to be at the top of the error stats as they are in a relegation battle .

But the Dominator commits the most fouls. “That surprises me,” says YB trainer Raphael Wicky, “but I don’t attach too much importance to it. As far as I know, YB has been last and first in this ranking in recent years.”

Abroad, the leaders have the fewest transgressions

It’s a statistical conundrum. Because abroad, leaders like Napoli or Bayern are the teams with the fewest fouls in their leagues. In England too, ManCity and Arsenal are well below the foul table.

What’s happening at YB? Wicky: «We want to play with high intensity, disrupt the opponent early and put pressure on it. That can lead to violations.” FCZ coach Bo Henriksen, who is meeting with his team on Saturday, also suspects that it is due to the power football of the Bernese.

Of course, the 294 fouls also included bad scenes such as Ulisses Garcia being sent off after the foul on St. Gallen’s Schubert. But calling YB a kicking squad would be about as wrong as calling the Bernese a relegation candidate. “It’s important for me to emphasize that we don’t commit malicious transgressions,” says Wicky.

YB offensive works backwards

The fact that striker Cedric Itten and midfield jewel Fabian Rieder each have the most fouls internally with 25 and no defender indicates many small, tactical fouls.

Is YB just playing smarter than the rest? Wicky says: “Fouls are part of football. The fact that two offensively oriented players lead these stats also shows our offensive team’s willingness to work backwards and serve the team. »

Now the dirty kings meet the FCZ. It’s the best game of the year – they are the two most successful teams since the turn of the year. Will YB face its toughest task yet in 2023? Wicky: “Every game is hard. We are looking forward to the game against FCZ and know that Zurich is in a good phase and has consolidated. We expect a hard-fought match against a physically strong opponent.”

Source : Blick