Funny...these scenarios over licenses and possible relegation in the RSL has been far more entertaining this season then the actual BCL promotion race! BTW... I see what no love for Aarau and their title aspirations next season?
Aarau, even if they win the title, won't be able to secure promotion to the Super League until the stadium situation gets sorted out. Every team outside of Servette and Vaduz have serious holes that prevent them from getting a Class II license. - Aarau: Stadium doesn't meet current Super League requiurements - Chiasso: Stadium doesn't meet current Challenge League requirements, plus financial issues - Rapperswil-Jona: Stadium doesn't meet current Challenge League requirements (re: lighting) - Schaffhausen: Club doesn't meet financial requirements for Class II - Wil: Stadium and finances don't meet current Super League requirements (stadium still technically doesn't really pass for BCL either because of lighting) - Winterthur: Stadium and finances don't meet current Super League requirements Whoever is relegated from the Super League already meet the requirements, so that's not an issue. Whoever gets promoted to the Challenge League (and it might be two teams) will certainly not meet stadium or financial requirements. Vaduz has already said that "Project 2018+" is going to see them be a little less ambitious towards making it back to the Super League for a few years, so they can try to develop players, so that eliminates them. Servette has the resources and stadium to go back up, and whoever gets relegated from the Super League will be an instant contender (unless it's Sion and CC decides he's had enough and walks away). It's a two horse race, and the current season hasn't even ended yet.
Good analysis. Sad to say that you are correct. It will essentially be either Servette or Lugano/LS/Sion. If Sion were releguated, I could see CC simply walking away. In that case it would be a long while before Sion would have the financial chops to make it in the RSL.
27 April Vaduz - Winterthur 28 April Aarau - Servette Wil - Schaffhausen 29 April Rapperswil-Jona - Wohlen 30 April Xamax - Chiasso
If by some miracle they do win the title next season or for that matter any team who does not meet the stadium requirement for RSL would a ground share be allowed?
4 May Xamax - Winterthur 5 May Servette - Vaduz Wil - Rapperswil-Jona 6 May Chiasso - Schffhausen 7 May Wohlen - Aarau
4 May Xamax - Winterthur 3-3 5 May Servette - Vaduz 0-1 Wil - Rapperswil-Jona 2-0 6 May Chiasso - Schffhausen 2-0 7 May Wohlen - Aarau 1-3 9 May Vaduz - Wil Schaffhause - Xamax Winterthur - Chiasso 10 May Rapperswil-Jona - Aarau Wohlen - Servette Prior to today's games Xamax 76 Vaduz 54 Schaffhausen 54 Servette 53 Rapperswil-Jona 50 Wil 37 Aarau 37 Chiasso 33 Winterthur 26 Wohlen 18 Servette needs to get a new manager for next season. Their spring has been pitiful. Just a reminder of the points at the break. Servette has only gained 18 points while Xamax has gained 30. Xamax 46 Schaffhausen 36 Servette 35 Vaduz 26 Rapperswil - Jona 23* Chiasso 20 Aarau 18* Wohlen 13 * Winterthur 12 Wil 11
According to the SFL.ch site since round 19 up until yesterday the standings would look like this (not counting the first 18 rounds) 1. Xamax 8-6-1-30 points 2. Vaduz 8-5-2-29 3. Wil 7-6-2-27 4. RJ 7-3-4-24 5. Schaffhausen 7-0-8-21 6. Aarau 6-1-7-19 7. Winterthur 4-5-6-17 8. Servette 3-6-5-15 9. Chiasso 4-1-10-13 10. Wohlen 0-5-9-5 Wil and Vaduz have had nice second half.
9 May Vaduz - Wil 2-2 Schaffhause - Xamax 1-0 Winterthur - Chiasso 2-1 10 May Rapperswil-Jona - Aarau 2-3 Wohlen - Servette 1-3 Xamax 76 Schaffhausen 57 Servette 56 Vaduz 55 Rapperswil-Jona 50 Aarau 40 Wil 38 Chiasso 33 Winterthur 29 Wohlen 18
I think we will see Wil all in again next season. They have had a culture change since the winter break ended. A lot of community based programs and getting back in touch with the supporters. I don't think they have the money to spend like they did on the Turks a few seasons ago but if they can keep this group together and add a bit more they could make the BCL a little more interesting. I see LS coming down and NOT challenging next season to come back up....that club is in shambles!
I hope that next season Wil, Schaffhausen and RJ can make things interesting with Servette. LS is really in a mess right now. No clear direction. I would imagine a lot of turnover with players.
Leading goalscorers 23 - Raphael Nuzzolo Xamax 20 - Tunahan Cicek - Schaffhausen 14 - Mychell Chagas - Servette 13 - Helios Sessolo - Schaffhausen Leading Assists 17 - Charles-Andrew Doudin - Xamax 12 - Enrico Schirinzi - Vaduz Attendance 3,137 Xamax (17) 2,782 Winterthur (17) 2,610 Aarau (17) 2,240 Servette (17) 1,635 Vaduz (17) 1,313 Rapperswil-Jona (17) 1,193 Schaffhausen (17) 948 Wil (17) 602 Wohlen (17) 483 Chiasso (17) How can Chiasso continue to pay its bills with less than 500 per match. They have than 9k for the entire season!
Stade Nyonnais and Chiasso will learn their fates this Friday. Both are trying to get their license on the 2nd try. UEFA, which owns/operates the Nyon stadium has said they will bring the stadium up to the standard that the Swiss Federation wants.
18 May Rapperswil-Jona - Xamax Vaduz - Chiasso Wil - Servette Winterthur - Aarau Wohlen - Schaffhausen Last match for Wohlen in the BCL and possible Chiasso.
21 May Aarau - Vaduz Chiasso - Wohlen Schaffhausen - Winterthur Servette - RJ Xamax - Wil The line should have said last "matches". Fitting that Wohlen goes to Chiasso.
A wonderful (and sad) story of FC Wohlen, as they're set to depart the Challenge League for the first time in 16 years. https://www.nzz.ch/sport/fc-wohlen-ein-klub-sagt-leise-adieu-ld.1385893
For the 2nd time in two years, the SFF has awarded a club a license that publicly did not make sense. Last year Wil was awarded one, despite the well published and devastating financial situation. This year Chiasso has been awarded one, but Stade Nyonnias was not. So Chiasso stays up, despite averaging less than 500 a match for the season. To put it bluntly, there were more fans at the Xamax win over the weekend 9k than Chiasso had the entire season over 18 home dates.
21 May Aarau - Vaduz 4-1 Chiasso - Wohlen 3-0 Schaffhausen - Winterthur 3-1 Servette - RJ 0-3 Xamax - Wil 6-3 Xamax 85 Schaffhausen 64 Servette 62 Vaduz 59 RJ 56 Aarau 44 Wil 39 Chiasso 36 Winterthur 32 Wohlen 18
Leading goalscorers 26 - Raphael Nuzzolo Xamax 21 - Tunahan Cicek - Schaffhausen 16 - Helios Sessolo - Schaffhausen 15 - Mychell Chagas - Servette Leading Assists 19 - Charles-Andrew Doudin - Xamax 12 - Enrico Schirinzi - Vaduz Attendance 3,475 Xamax 2,817 Winterthur 2,621 Aarau 2,206 Servette 1,637 Vaduz 1,341 Rapperswil-Jona 1,241 Schaffhausen 949 Wil 628 Wohlen 478 Chiasso Only two clubs had there average attendance drop over the final two weeks. Chiasso and Servette.
In the end Schaffhausen put together a nice little season. Their placement more probably to do with certain teams giving up but still 2nd place! Does anyone think that they could build on this and challenge for promotion to the RSL next season? Nice little stadium and not a bad team if they can keep certain players and a few who knows....
I wouldn't count on it. Schaffhausen does not have the financial resources to get a Super League license, nor do they have the type of academy setup that is required. I also wouldn't be surprised if most of those good players are elsewhere next year. There's only one team going up next year, and that's Servette. They're the richest of the teams, and they'll be rebuilding. Lausanne won't be ready to compete to go back up, and the only other side with a Class II license is Vaduz, and they're going to be middle of the pack unless it all clicks with their younger local players.