Saturday Grasshoppers - Wil Xamax - FC Zurich Servette - Basel Thun - Young Boys Standings heading into Week 13 1. Grasshoppers 12 7 5 0 29:11 (51) 2. Basel 12 8 2 2 31:17 (50) 3. Young Boys 12 6 1 5 17:21 (34) 4. Xamax 12 4 4 4 16:14 (32) 5. Servette 12 4 4 4 14:17 (31) 6. Zürich 12 3 3 6 15:19 (28) 7. Wil 12 2 3 7 15:24 (25) 8. Thun 12 2 2 8 12:26 (24)
From the Journal de Jura: " Saturday at the Stade de Genève, against Servette, Christian Gross hopes to have back from their suspensions Cantaluppi and Gimenez (the FC Basel has appealed them) to play in the last away match of the season." I am not too happy about this. It appears that Gross is doing anything he can do to get his team into the CL. Speaking from my bias as a Servette fan, if someone is suspended, an appeal should not be allowed for the violent conduct shown in Zurich. That goes for the GCZ players also. The decision came from the LN, it should stand. An appeal could allow the players to play the remainder of the season. I am not sure how it is handeled in the LN, but in the US, if the suspension is not fulfilled that season, it carries over to the next. I think Gross would love to have that happen, have Cantaluppi and Gimenez miss the first two games of next year to have them play in these last two matches.
Christian Gross vs. Marcel Koller Yeah, Gross seems to have found a loophole. Both clubs, GC and FCB are supposed to show up in Bern tomorrow for a final decision by the disciplinary commision. Basel will most likely skip it, and will therefore be able to use Cantaluppi and Gimenez on Saturday (due to the process still being in the "appeal stage"). FC Basel claims that the meeting is on short notice, but yet GC somehow will manage to make it tomorrow. Yet another reason why Basel should be the Bridesmaid this season... PS: Yes Rob, suspensions carry over to next season.
At least there is one player situation Christian Gross can't do anything about. Basel mid Sebastien Barberis is injured and has to operate. He will miss the rest of the season...
It's decided. Cantaluppi & Gimenez will play tomorrow. The ruling for Basel will be moved to Tuesday. Roger Hegi was proven right when he said that a ruling on friday would interfer with the club's preperation for Saturday. GC on the other hand did not ask for the ruling to be moved. Cabanas will be back for the YB game, as might Mitreski if he can get the suspension reduced to 2 games.
Disciplinary Ruling for GC It's official. Cabanas' suspension gets reduced to one game only. That means Cabanas can already play again tomorrow against Wil. Mitreski's suspension of three games on the other hand is final. That means the season is over for Mitreski.
Championship Situation With GC being the overwhelming favorite against Wil, the championship could be decided if Basel drops points in Geneva. Servette has a great home record (lost only 2 in the last 17 games), but unfortunately has 10 players injured. With about 5,000 Basel fans making the trip, I expect the attendance at the Stade de Geneve to finally break 10K again. A good attendance is also expected at the Hardturm for the possible crowning of GC. The Club expects about 12,000 if not more... Uefa Cup Situation YB can claim a Uefa Cup spot with a victory over Thun in the Bern derby. Out of purely selfish reasons, I hope YB gets the three points and has nothing to play for in the last game against GC. If Servette gets a win against Basel, they don't only help out GC, but also bring themselves very close to a Uefa cup spot. Servette needs GC to win the championship to claim the 4th spot in the standings. With all that said... HOPP GC!!!
Pro/Rel St. Gallen - Sion 1:0 Aarau - Luzern 4:2 Delemont - Vaduz 1:0 It's all over for Luzern. Unless Wil gets the shaft, they will be playing NLB footie next season. Aarau and St. Gallen will be the 2 teams rounding out the NLA in 2003/04.
Boy, things really aren't going my way... Servette - Basel 0:3 This is after only 23 minutes. Servette is getting mowed down like a dandelion. Thun - YB 2:0 Great, just what I need , a YB side with something to prove next week.
HT Xamax - FCZ 1:0 Servette - Basel 0:3 Thun - YB 3:1 GC - Wil 0:1 Marcel Koller better have a halftime speech that will make the walls shake...
FT Grasshoppers - Wil 4:2 Xamax - FC Zurich 2:0 Servette - Basel 0:4 Thun - Young Boys 4:2 1. Grasshoppers 33:13 (54) 2. Basel 35:17 (53) 3. Xamax 18:14 (35) 4. Young Boys 19:21 (34) 5. Servette 14:21 (31) 6. Zürich 15:21 (28) 7. Thun 16:28 (27) 8. Wil 17:28 (25)
Looks like Servette will not be going to the Uefa Cup. I really like the "mowded down like dandelions" that was how they played today. The Thun victory was a suprise, but YB by virtue of the Servette loss seem to have it rapped up. If it is goal differiental, Servette has to win 5-0 over FC Zurich while YB does not score a goal. Not too sure if that will happen. It looks like Wil-Thun will turn out deciding the final Intertoto Cup spot. Wil has been playing decent football the past few games. That should be a good game. The Basel-Xamax game is a must for Basel. I wonder if Xamax is going to have nightmares going back to Park St. Jakobs?