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FC Thun is a real phenomenon in European football this season. |
FC Thun experienced a pivotal week in the Swiss Super League. The team, which played in the second division last season, is accelerating strongly on its journey to conquer what is considered an "unthinkable" championship.
The biggest highlight came from the victory away at Basel on February 1st. Defeating their long-standing rivals 2-1 secured three valuable points and created a perfect ripple effect. At the same time, a series of direct competitors stumbled, allowing FC Thun to widen their lead in the league standings.
On January 25th, FC Thun also caused a shock by defeating another Swiss football giant, Young Boyes, with a resounding 4-1 victory. After round 22, the team from Berner Oberland extended their lead to 9 points over the second-placed team. According to Opta , FC Thun's chances of winning the championship have increased to 56%. From an outsider, FC Thun has now become the number one contender for the title.
The fairy tale of Swiss football.
When talking about Swiss football, people usually remember the national team more, while the Super League rarely generates much appeal. Most Swiss stars play in England, Italy, or Germany, partly because the domestic league lacks influential names.
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FC Thun (in white shirts) brilliantly defeated the giants Basel. |
Therefore, Xherdan Shaqiri's return to Basel two years ago created a rare wave of excitement. He almost single-handedly carried the league, scoring 18 goals and providing 21 assists, leading Basel back to the top after an 8-year wait, and also winning the German Cup after a 6-year absence.
However, that glory couldn't mask the fact that Basel declined over several seasons, ceding the spotlight to Young Boys with 6 league titles and 2 Coppa Italia trophies. Internal instability, tensions with fans, and constantly shaky coaching positions caused Basel to gradually lose its standing. Evidence of this is that Basel has changed 10 coaches since 2020.
In that context, FC Thun has emerged as a remarkable phenomenon. From their failure in the promotion play-offs three years ago, to securing direct promotion this past summer, the Berner Oberland team is now confidently leading the Super League.
This achievement wasn't due to luck. FC Thun boasts the most wins, the strongest attack, and the best defense in the league. Coach Mauro Lustrinelli has kept almost the same core squad as last season, making only minor but highly effective adjustments.
Notably, they didn't spend lavishly despite their modest budget of around 6 million euros.
A historic opportunity
FC Thun's strength lies in its balanced squad structure. The team, comprising approximately 27 players with an average age of 25.4, combines experience and youth. Captain Marco Burki (32 years old) and defensive midfielder Leonardo Bertone (31 years old) provide the necessary stability, while young players like Kastritor Imeri, Franz-Ethan Meichtry, and Elmin Rastoder represent the future.
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FC Thun is creating a fairytale story in Switzerland. |
FC Thun's squad is primarily composed of Swiss players, with only five foreign players. In attack, Christopher Ibayi (Congo) leads the scoring charts with 9 goals, while Rastoder has 8. Bertone is also a key playmaker with 6 assists.
Last season, FC Thun earned promotion back to the Super League after a five-year absence. The club's best achievements in history have been finishing as runners-up twice in the Swiss Cup (1955 and 2019), as well as reaching the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2005/06 season.
Yet now, they are cruising towards the finish line with a 9-point lead, after two consecutive victories against Young Boys and Basel. Swiss media are calling this an unprecedented earthquake in history. For FC Thun, they have a great opportunity to win the championship immediately after their promotion season.
The Super League has a unique format. Twelve teams play three round-robin tournaments (33 rounds in total), then are divided into two groups: the champion and the relegation group, with points retained. After that, each team plays five more matches to determine the final standings. In this context, a nine-point lead gives FC Thun the advantage of controlling their own destiny in the championship race.
Source: https://znews.vn/dia-chan-cua-bong-da-chau-au-post1625483.html
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