User:Huligan0/2008–09 FC Basel season

The 2008–09 FC Basel season started off with various warm-up matches against Swiss lower league teams as well as German Bundesliga, Ukrainian Vyscha Liha and Polish Ekstraklasa clubs. The goals for FC Basel during the 2008-09 season were to regain their league and cup titles as well as qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Overall season
After last season, where Basel dominated on the domestic front, winning both the Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup, and reaching the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. This season they will have the opportunity to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. To prepare for the 2008/09 season, FCB added to their squad defenders Behrang Safari from Malmö FF and David Abraham from Gimnàstic de Tarragona, and midfielders Jürgen Gjasula and Marcos Gelabert from FC St. Gallen. Fans' favourite Daniel Majstorović left the club for AEK Athens F.C. and Kōji Nakata returned to Japan with Kashima Antlers, while Vratislav Lokvenc and David Degen's loan deals were not re-newed. Ivan Ergić resigned from being club captain before the start of the season, and Franco Costanzo was unveiled as the new captain a day before the season kicked off.

Basel played their opening game of the season in Bern on 18 July 2008 against BSC Young Boys, which they won 2-1 with goals coming from substitutes Marko Perović and Benjamin Huggel after Eudis put the home side ahead.

Basel entered the Champions League in the Second Qualifying Round and were drawn against IFK Göteborg of Sweden. The first leg was on July 30, 2008 at Ullevi and finished 1-1. Benjamin Huggel put Basel ahead before Thomas Olsson equalised for the home team. The second leg took place on August 6 at St. Jakob-Park; with Basel coming from behind twice to win 4-2. Pontus Wernbloom put Göteborg ahead on 19 minutes before Benjamin Huggel equalised soon after. Early in the second half Robin Söder restored Göteborg's lead. But Basel fought back, with Scott Chipperfield equalising. Then Basel got a penalty due to a supposed hands ball in the box. Replays showed that the referee had made the wrong decision. The penalty was scored, and eventually led to the victory. Basel then faced Vitória S.C. of Portugal in the Third Qualifying Round. The first leg at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, on August 13, ended honours even, in a 0-0 draw. The second leg took place on August 27 at St. Jakob-Park where Valentin Stocker gave Basel an early lead on 11 minutes before João Alves was fouled in the penalty area by François Marque and João Fajardo dispatched the spot-kick, just four minutes later to draw Vitória level. In the second half, the away side started well but Eren Derdiyok gave FCB a 2-1 lead which they hung on to, to qualify for the UEFA Champions League Group Stages.

FCB were drawn into Group C alongside FC Barcelona, FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Clube de Portugal. Basel lost their opening game 2-1 at St. Jakob-Park on September 16 against Shakhtar. Fernandinho put the Ukrainians ahead on 25 minutes before Jádson doubled their lead just before half time. David Abraham scored a late consolation goal for the home team. Sporting Lisbon were the opponents on Matchday 2 (October 1) and despite defending well and causing a few scares at the other end of the park, Basel were defeated 2-0 at the Estádio José Alvalade. On Matchday 3 (October 22), Barcelona visited Basel and came away with a 5-0 win, but a fortnight later it was a different story as FCB came away with a respectable 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou, with Eren Derdiyok scoring a late equaliser after Lionel Messi put Barça ahead. On November 26, Basel travelled to Ukraine, to play Shakhtar, where they were thrashed 5-0. Basel then faced Sporting at home on the final Matchday (December 9) and were defeated 1-0.

First team squad
As of 30 June 2009, accounting for official transfers:

Multiple Nationality

 * 1 🇦🇷 🇮🇹 Franco Costanzo
 * 7 🇩🇪 🇦🇱 Jürgen Gjasula
 * 11 🇦🇺 🇨🇭 Scott Chipperfield
 * 13 🇨🇭 🇹🇷 Daniel Unal
 * 15 🇦🇷 🇮🇹 Federico Almerares
 * 17 🇨🇱 🇩🇪 Eduardo Rubio
 * 20 🇸🇪 🇮🇷 Behrang Safari
 * 22 🇷🇸 🇦🇺 Ivan Ergić
 * 28 🇨🇭 Beg Ferati
 * 29 🇲🇰 🇦🇱 🇨🇭 Orhan Mustafi
 * 31 🇨🇭 🇹🇷 Eren Derdiyok
 * 33 🇹🇷 🇨🇭 Serkan Şahin

Overall
Basel participated in the following major competitions: the Swiss Super League, the Swiss Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

Uhrencup
The Uhrencup is a club football tournament, held annually in Grenchen. It is Europe's most traditional club football tournament.

Swiss Super League 2009–10
For more information, see Swiss Super League 2008–09

Swiss Cup 2008–09
for main article, see Swiss Cup 2008–09

UEFA Champions League
For more information, see UEFA Champions League 2008-09

Second qualifying round
For more information, see 2008–09 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds

League Goalscorers/Assists
Updated to games played 29 May 2009

Swiss Cup Goalscorers/Assists
Updated to games played 13 April 2009

European Goalscorers/Assists
Updated to games played 26 November 2008

Total Goalscorers/Assists
Updated to games played 29 May 2009

Team

 * Uhren Cup winner

Individual

 * Goal of the Year: Fabian Frei (FC Basel, scored against FC Aarau)
 * Swiss Youngster of the Year 2008/09 - Valentin Stocker