Winterthur has had its ups and downs. Its story revolves around creation and loss, great potential unfulfilled, and a strange connection to one of the most successful teams in football history. The second largest city in the canton of Zurich is far more renowned for its industry and DIY attitude than its significantly fancier sister to the south-west, and that shows in its make-up, both architectural and social. There is no Bahnhofstrasse, for example, in Winterthur; no exclusive shopping district. There are plenty of museums and art galleries, but they are subtle – focused more on what can be found inside than what is presented externally. And, perhaps, all of that sums up Winterthur better than anything, a club that – outwardly – might not inspire many who do not know it, but – internally – has an ethos and culture all of its own. FCW Graffiti on the way to the stadium. Schutzenwiese, or “Schützi” to the regulars, is the oldest football stadium still in use in Switzerland. FC Win...
Originally uploaded to Medium on January 17th, 2025 FC Basel Current position: 2nd Summary: Could this be the year that Basel reclaim their position at the top of the Swiss game? With a strong second half of the season, I think so. It’s been a frustrating few years for the Rotblau, but Fabio Celestini seems to be getting the best out of an extremely exciting attack, spearheaded by the return of homegrown hero, Xherdan Shaqiri. I questioned their defensive capabilities earlier in the season, but things seem to be holding strong in that regard, having conceded the fewest goals in the league so far (19). Plus, if they keep scoring at their current rate (2.2 gpg), they can afford to concede a few more… Key Player: Xherdan Shaqiri Prediction: 1st Grasshopper Club Zürich Current Position: 11th Summary: Not much to smile about on the Grasshopper side of Zürich. After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, nothing much has improved for GC, who sit just 2 points above Winterthur at the ...