1978–79 FC Basel season explained

Club:FC Basel
Season:1978–79
Chairman: René Theler
Stdtitle:Ground
Stadium:St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
League:Nationalliga A
League Result:3rd
Cup1:Swiss Cup
Cup1 Result:Quarter-finals
Cup2:Swiss League Cup
Cup2 Result:Runners-up
Cup3:UEFA Cup
Cup3 Result:Round 1
Cup4:Cup of the Alps
Cup4 Result:Group stage
League Topscorer: Detlev Lauscher (14)
Season Topscorer: Detlev Lauscher (22)
Highest Attendance:18,000 on 12 May 1979
vs Zürich
Lowest Attendance:3,500 on 31 March 1979
vs Lausanne-Sport
Average Attendance:8,121
Prevseason:1977–78
Nextseason:1979–80

The Fussball Club Basel 1893 1978–79 season was their 85th season since the club was founded. It was their 33rd consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after they won promotion during the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. This was René Theler's third period as chairman.

Overview

Pre-season

Helmut Benthaus was first team manager for the fourteenth consecutive season. There were only a few changes in the squad. Eigil Nielsen moved on to Luzern. Serge Muhmenthaler was forced to terminate his playing career early due to his injury. Muhmenthaler would return a few years later as referee. From the season 1984–85 as referee in the Swiss Football Association and from 1989 as FIFA-Referee. From 1980 until the end of his career in December 1997 he conducted about 250 Swiss and some 75 international games. Walter Mundschin retired from active football. During his time with Basel from 1965 to 1978, Mundschin played a total of 437 games and scored 67 goals. 230 of these games were in the Nationalliga A, 52 in the Swiss Cup or Swiss League Cup, in the European competitions (European Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA cup and Cup of the Alps) and 98 were friendly games. He scored 44 goals in the domestic league, five in the cup competitions, four in the European competitions and the other 14 were scored during the test games. Mundschin won the Swiss championship six times, the Swiss Cup twice and the League Cup once.[1]

There were also a few new players in the squad. Robert Baldinger joined from Wettingen, Erwin Meyer joined from SC Emmen and Rolf Schönauer joined from local club SC Binningen. All other mutations were internal between the first team and the reserves.

Benthaus led the team in a total of 59 games in their 1978–79 season. 32 of these games were in the domestic league, three in the Swiss Cup, six in the Swiss League Cup, two in the 1978–79 UEFA Cup, four in the Cup of the Alps and 12 were friendly matches. The team scored a total of 110 goals and conceded 97.[2]

Domestic league

Basel played in the 1978–79 Nationalliga A. This was contested by the first 10 teams from the previous season and the newly promoted teams Nordstern Basel and Chiasso. After a double round-robin in the qualification phase, the top six teams played in a championship group for the title and the bottom six teams in the relegation group. The teams in these two groups started with the bonus of half the points from the qualifying phase (rounded up). The champions were to qualify for 1979–80 European Cup, the second and third teams to qualify for the 1979–80 UEFA Cup. Basel ended the qualification round in fourth position and finished the Championship Group in sixth position with 18 points. They ended the season 17 points behind championship winners Servette who won all ten matches in the championship stage. Basel scored a total of 54 goals conceding 53 in 32 games. Detlev Lauscher was the team's top goal scorer with 14 league goals.[3]

Swiss Cup and League Cup

In the first round of the Swiss Cup Basel were drawn against FC Glattbrugg and this was the first time that these two clubs had ever played against each other. The game was played on 7 October 1978 and Basel won 7–0. In the second round Basel were drawn away and won against Zürich. In the third round Basel were away against Xamax and were knocked out of the competition. In the final on 20 June 1979 in the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern Servette were matched against Young Boys and won the cup winning the game 3–2. The Cup winners were to qualify for the 1979–80 European Cup Winners' Cup, but because Servette became champions the runners-up inherited this slot.[4]

In the first round of the Swiss League Cup Basel were drawn against Grenchen. This was played as a two legged affair, winning the home game and losing away game, Basel advanced 4–3 on aggregate. Basel won in the round of 16 against Nordstern Basel. In the quarter-final they won against Luzern and in the semi-final they won against Xamax to reach the final. The final was played on 5 May 1979 in the Wankdorf Stadium. This was against Servette and after extra time the score was 2–2. In the end Servette won 4–3 on penalties and completed the national treble, Championshup, Cup and League Cup.[5]

UEFA Cup and Coppa delle Alpi

In the 1978–79 UEFA Cup Basel were drawn against VfB Stuttgart. The first game was lost 2–3 in St. Jakob Stadium and the away game in the Neckarstadion was lost 1–4. VfB Stuttgart won 7–3 on aggregate and continued to the second round.[6]

In the Coppa delle Alpi (to English Cup of the Alps) Basel played with Stade de Reims and Sochaux in Group B together with Lausanne-Sport.[7] Lausanne-Sport won the group and thus advanced to play in the final only to lose this against the winners of group A, Servette FC, 0–4.[8]

Players

Players who left the squad

Results

Legend

Friendly matches

Winter break and mid-season

Nationalliga

See main article: 1978–79 Nationalliga A.

Championship group table

Swiss Cup

See main article: Swiss Cup.

Swiss League Cup

See main article: Swiss League Cup.

Servette won 4–3 on penalties

UEFA Cup

See main article: 1978–79 UEFA Cup.

First roundVfB Stuttgart won 7–3 on aggregate.

Coppa delle Alpi

See main article: Cup of the Alps.

Group BNB: teams did not play compatriots
Group table

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” . Walter Mundschin - FCB-Statistik . Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” . 2019-11-16.
  2. Web site: Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” . Bilanz Saison 1977/78 . Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” . 2019-11-16.
  3. Web site: Luc Nackaerts . Erik Garin . Nationalliga A 1978/79 . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . 2019-11-16.
  4. Web site: Erik Garin . Switzerland 1978-1979 . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . 2019-11-16.
  5. Web site: Erik Garin . Swiss League Cup 1978/79 . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . 2019-11-16.
  6. Web site: 1978 . Stuttgart-Basel Aggregate 7:3 . uefa.com . 2016-11-06.
  7. Web site: Erik . Garin . 2000 . Cup of the Alps 1978 . . 2016-11-13.
  8. Web site: super-servette . 1978 . Alle Servette Spieler in einem Alpencup Finale . super-servette.ch . 2016-11-13.