Side swipe from FCB boss Degen to the champion: “YB can thank you for that”

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David Degen, how relieved are you to have finished 5th and qualified for the Conference League?
David Degen: Big! At the moment I am proud that the team managed to achieve this fifth place. Even if, of course, as a whole it was the bare minimum goal. Internationally, however, we played a nice campaign. We carried the Swiss flag across Europe. And more than worth it. The images of the choreo for the semi-final home game against Fiorentina went around the world. The constant double load cost us a lot of energy, physically and mentally. But now we’ve gotten away from it slightly and I’m very happy about that.

What was at stake for FCB in the last game of the season against GC? What if rank 5 fails?
We at the Board of Directors always have a plan B ready, that is our duty. We would have taken Plan B out of the drawer and used it.

What does that mean concretely?
That would have had financial and sporting consequences. But the question is hypothetical. We made it.

for now. To progress to the conference league group stage, three qualifying rounds must be completed in the summer…
In order for that to succeed, I and Heiko Vogel have to do our job well until the start of the preparations on June 21. Then our opportunities are there. In general, I believe that FCB should aim every season to play internationally for as long as possible. Thanks to the new Conference League, this should also apply to other clubs such as YB. Thanks to our international points in the previous season, the Berners are already firmly in the group stage of the Europa League. YB can thank you for that.

Even if there was no national success, it never got boring around FCB this season. A small consolation?
We are in the entertainment industry. And I think it’s our duty to provide the public with a spectacle. Of course, it would be better if this happened mainly on the grass. Anyway, our trip to Europe was sensational, very spectacular. And it has also paid off economically. With the UEFA bonuses and the sold-out Joggeli against Fiorentina. Seen in that light, it has given us more than second place in the Super League without a European semi-final.

What conclusions do you draw from the worst ranking since 2001?
We analyze it calmly. The main goal must be to become more stable in the Super League. This is our core business despite all the joy about European luxury flights.

Should FCB sell players in the summer?
There are three players who can get hot. But one thing is clear: we are FC Basel and we will not sell any player below their value. If the price and time don’t suit us, we don’t sell.

Will the prospect of new UEFA premiums next season give more room for maneuver in the transfer market?
No. The decisive factor whether a player wants to come to us or not is whether we can offer him the European Cup platform.

Other subject: Before you sign ex-coach Alex Frei in Aarau, as announced by Blick, he must cancel the contract with FCB that runs until 2024. How’s the situation?
I read the news on Sunday and was surprised. No one has approached us yet. As of today, Alex is under contract with FCB.

Source : Blick