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The disappointment was written all over the Basel team after the conference league out. But the performance against Marseille is also encouraging.
It was details that decided in the duel between Basel and Olympique Marseille about progress and the associated quarter-final qualification. “It’s just bitter,” as goalkeeper Heinz Lindner puts it.
But which little things made the difference in the end? “We could have been better in the transition game,” says goal scorer Dan Ndoye. And otherwise? Otherwise, you haven’t really done much wrong, is the tenor in the Basel camp.
High praise from Xhaka
Rather, the talk is of “pride” – it’s the word that comes up again and again in the interviews with the FCB players. “We can be proud of the performance today. Yes, for the whole campaign,” says Lindner. And Taulant Xhaka, who recently publicly criticized the attitude of some professionals, agrees: “Today every player gave 100 percent, fought, we were there for each other.”
It is these virtues that give FCB hope for the end of the season in the Super League. “We know that we have great footballers and a lot of talent. But you can’t achieve anything these days with talent alone,” warns Xhaka. And then it falls again, this word: “Today every player can be proud.”
Everyday life in the league is calling
For FCB, the championship continues on Sunday with the away game at GC. In the table, Basel are 12 points behind leader Zurich with 10 laps to go.