User:Huligan0/2002–03 FC Basel season

The 2002–03 season was the Fussball Club Basel 1893's 110th season in their existence and was the club's 9th consecutive season in the Nationalliga A, the top flight of Swiss football. As reigning Champions, the Clubs main aims for the 2002–03 season were to retain the Swiss Nationalliga A title and as the cup holders to retain their cup title. The third aim was to stay in the Champions League as long as possible, if possible to reach the group stage.

Basel ended the domestic league season as runners-up, the Swiss Cup as winners and in the Champions League they reached the second group stage. One of the best seasons in the clubs history.

Overview
As reigning Champions Basel were favourites to win the domestic championship title and as Champions they entered the 2002-03 Champions League in the Second qualifying round. Basel's biggest signing in advance of the season were Julio Hernán Rossi from Lugano, Antonio Esposito from St. Étienne and Bernt Haas on a loan deal from West Bromwich Albion. In the other direction Massimo Ceccaroni left the club and retired from his professional career. Ceccaroni is still considered to be a cult figure in Basel, this because he stayed loyal to the club for 25 years and because he never scored a goal in the top flight of Swiss football.

FC Basel started the season of with various warm-up matches. These included teams from the Swiss lower league as well as teams from the USL Premier Development League, the Major League Soccer, from Brasil and PSV Eindhoven from the Netherlands.

The Nationalliga A season began on 6 July 2002 with the game against Aarau and the Champions League qualifying satrted on 31 July with the away tie against Žilina. In the Swiss Cup all the league teams were qualified for the Round of 32 which was to take place on 22 February 2003

Domestic League
Because they were reigning Champions, Basel's priority aim for the season was to win the domestic championship. The season started well for Basel and they won five, drew two, of their first seven games. However, the following two games were both lost and Basel slipped down in the league table. But they refound themselves, winning nine, drawing two of the following eleven games. A 1–2 home defeat against the Grasshoppers cost them the leading position in the league table and Grasshoppers ended the league qualifying stage as table leaders at the winter break. In the Championship playoff round Basel lost just two away games. But because both ties against the Grasshoppers were drawn. Therefore Basel were unable to defend their Championship title and ended as runners-up one single point behind their rivals GC. In summery the Championship aim was not achieved.

Domestic Cup
Basel's clear aim for the Swiss Cup was to win the title. In the round of 32 Basel were draw with an away game against lower league team Yverdon-Sport and as expected the game was won. In the round of 16 and in the Quarterfinals Basel eliminated Servette and the Young Boys. The Semifinal was won 3–0 against lower league FC Schaffhausen. The Final against Neuchâtel Xamax was a one sided affair. Basel won 6–0 and achieved their domestic cup aim.

Champions League
The clubs aim was to remain in the Champions League as long as possible and if possible to reach the group stage. In the Second qualifying round the defeated Žilina of Slovakia 4–1 on aggregate. The Third qualifying round they faced Scottish giants Celtic. In the first leg at Celtic Park, the home side won 3–1, but in the second leg at St. Jakob-Park, Basel came away with a famous 2–0 victory, thus 3–3 on aggregate, and Basel won on the away goals rule.

Therefore Basel became only the second Swiss team ever to play in the modern Champions League. In the Group stage they were drawn into Group B along with Valencia, Liverpool and Spartak Moscow. Following a 2–0 home win against Spartak, Basel travelled to Anfield in Liverpool, where they managed to draw 1–1 against Liverpool. After a great start to the group stage, Basel were brought back down to earth when they were defeated 2–6 by Valencia at the Estadio Mestalla. However, they bounced back and held Valencia to a 2–2 draw in the next fixture. Basel were now sitting in second place in the group but they would still need to win at least one of their last two games and hope that Liverpool would not pick up more than two points to secure that place. In Matchday Five, Liverpool lost 1–0 to Valencia and FCB won 2–0 against Spartak at the Luzhniki Stadium. Basel's place in the last 16 was all but secured, although they still had to make sure they did not lose to Liverpool in the last game of the first group stage. On the last matchday, Basel lead 3–0 at half-time through goals from Julio Hernán Rossi, Christian Eduardo Giménez, and Thimothée Atouba. The second half was a different story alltogether and Liverpool fought back to equalise the game at 3–3. This was still enough for FCB to qualify for the next round.

In the last 16, Basel faced Manchester United, Juventus, and Deportivo de La Coruña. They had a poor start, losing back to back games against Manchester United at home and Juventus away. FCB then faced Deportivo in a double-header, with the home side winning 1–0 in both ties. Arguably two of FCB's greatest games came next as they held Manchester United to a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford and claimed a 2–1 victory over Juventus at St. Jakob-Park. Despite being knock-out on tie-breaking criteria, Basel had achieved their seasons european aim.

Nationalliga A 2002–03
For more information, see 2002–03 Nationalliga A

Qualification Round
The Qualification Round to the League season 2002–03 was contested by twelve teams. The first eight teams of the regular season (or Qualification) were then to compete in the Championship Playoff Round.

Swiss Cup 2002–03
For more information, see Swiss Cup 2002–03

Champions League
For more information, see 2002–03 UEFA Champions League

Second qualifying round
Basel won 4–1 on aggregate

Third qualifying round
3–3 on aggregate, Basel won on away goals