2018–19 Swiss Super League

The 2018–19 Swiss Super League (referred to as the Raiffeisen Super League for sponsoring reasons) was the 122nd season of top-tier competitive football in Switzerland and the 16th under its current name and format.

Swiss Super League

Season	2018–19
Dates	21 July 2018 – 25 May 2019
Champions	Young Boys 13th title
Relegated	Grasshopper
Champions League	Young Boys Basel
Europa League	Lugano Thun Luzern
Matches played	90
Goals scored	310 (3.44 per match)
Top goalscorer	Guillaume Hoarau (24)[1]
Biggest home win	Young Boys 7–1 Basel
Biggest away win	Xamax 1–5 Thun
Highest scoring	Young Boys 7–1 Basel[2]
Longest winning run	Young Boys (9 games)
Longest unbeaten run	Young Boys (9 games)
Longest winless run	Xamax (6 games)
Longest losing run	Sion Xamax (5 games each)
Highest attendance	31,120 Young Boys 7–1 Basel[2] (23 September 2018)
Total attendance	593,387[3]
Average attendance	11,868[3]
← 2017–18 2019–20 →

A total of 10 teams competed in the league: the 9 best teams from the 2017–18 season and the 2017–18 Swiss Challenge League champion Xamax. The season started on the weekend of 21–22 July 2018 and concluded on 25 May 2019 with a break between 17 December 2018 and 2 February 2019.^[4]

In May 2018, the Swiss Football League voted in favor of reintroducing the relegation play-offs, starting from the 2018–19 season. At the end of the season, the 9th-placed team of the Swiss Super League will face the 2nd-placed team of the Swiss Challenge League in a two-legged play-off to determine which of the two will compete in the Super League the following season.^[5]

Teams

Stadia and locations

Basel

Grasshopper

Lugano

Luzern

Xamax

Sion

St. Gallen

Thun

Young Boys

Zürich

Location of the 2018–19 Swiss Super League teams

Club	Location	Stadium	Capacity
Basel	Basel	St. Jakob-Park	37,994[6]
Grasshopper	Zürich	Letzigrund	26,104[7]
Xamax	Neuchâtel	Stade de la Maladière	11,997[8]
Lugano	Lugano	Stadio Cornaredo	6,390[9]
Luzern	Lucerne	Swissporarena	16,490[10]
Sion	Sion	Stade Tourbillon	14,283[11]
St. Gallen	St. Gallen	kybunpark	19,456[12]
Thun	Thun	Stockhorn Arena	10,014[12]
Young Boys	Bern	Stade de Suisse	31,789[13]
Zürich	Zürich	Letzigrund	26,104[14]

Personnel and kits

Team	Manager	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
Basel	Marcel Koller	Marek Suchý	Adidas	Novartis
Grasshopper	Uli Forte	Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson	Puma	Fromm
Lugano	Fabio Celestini	Jonathan Sabbatini	Acerbis	AIL
Luzern	René Weiler	Claudio Lustenberger	Adidas	Otto’s
Sion	Murat Yakin	Kevin Fickentscher	Macron	Capital Markets Consulting
St. Gallen	Peter Zeidler	Silvan Hefti	Jako	St.Galler Kantonalbank
Thun	Marc Schneider	Dennis Hediger	Nike	Panorama Center, Schneider Software AG
Xamax	Michel Decastel	Laurent Walthert	Erima	Groupe E, Banque cantonale neuchâteloise
Young Boys	Gerardo Seoane	Steve von Bergen	Nike	Obi
Zürich	Ludovic Magnin	Victor Pálsson	Nike

Managerial changes

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of departure	Position in table	Incoming manager	Date of appointment
St. Gallen	Boro Kuzmanović	End of interim	15 May 2018	Pre-season	Peter Zeidler	15 May 2018[15]
Young Boys	Adi Hütter	Signed by Eintracht Frankfurt	16 May 2018[16]		Gerardo Seoane	1 June 2018[17]
Luzern	Gerardo Seoane	Signed by Young Boys	1 June 2018[17]		René Weiler	21 June 2018[18]
Basel	Raphaël Wicky	Sacked	26 July 2018	6th	Alex Frei (interim)	26 July 2018[19]
	Alex Frei	End of interim	2 August 2018	8th	Marcel Koller	2 August 2018[20]
Sion	Maurizio Jacobacci	Sacked	14 September 2018[21]	8th	Murat Yakin	17 September 2018[22]
Lugano	Guillermo Abascal		1 October 2018[23]	6th	Fabio Celestini	2 October 2018[24]
Luzern	René Weiler		17 February 2019[25]	7th	Thomas Häberli	21 February 2019[26]
Grasshopper	Thorsten Fink		4 March 2019[27]	10th	Tomislav Stipić	6 March 2019[28]
	Tomislav Stipić		8 April 2019[29]	10th	Uli Forte	8 April 2019

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Young Boys (C)	36	29	4	3	99	36	+63	91	Qualification for the Champions League play-off round
2	Basel	36	20	11	5	71	46	+25	71	Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3	Lugano	36	10	16	10	50	49	+1	46	Qualification for the Europa League group stage
4	Thun	36	12	10	14	57	58	−1	46	Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round
5	Luzern	36	14	4	18	56	61	−5	46	Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round
6	St. Gallen	36	13	7	16	49	58	−9	46
7	Zürich	36	11	11	14	43	52	−9	44
8	Sion	36	12	7	17	50	55	−5	43
9	Xamax (O)	36	9	10	17	44	65	−21	37	Qualification for the relegation play-offs
10	Grasshopper (R)	36	5	10	21	32	71	−39	25	Relegation to Swiss Challenge League

Source: Swiss Super League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Draw.^[30]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

Results

First and second round Home \ Away BAS GRA LUG LUZ SIO StG THU XAM YB ZUR Basel — 4–2 3–2 2–1 3–2 1–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–0 Grasshopper 1–3 — 2–1 2–3 2–1 2–1 0–2 3–1 0–3 0–2 Lugano 2–2 2–2 — 1–4 2–2 3–1 2–1 2–2 0–2 1–0 Luzern 1–1 2–1 4–2 — 1–3 2–1 0–2 0–2 2–3 2–5 Sion 1–2 0–0 1–2 2–0 — 0–1 2–1 3–0 0–3 1–2 St. Gallen 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–1 2–4 — 3–2 3–2 2–3 3–2 Thun 4–2 1–0 1–1 2–1 4–1 2–0 — 2–2 1–4 2–2 Xamax 1–1 2–3 2–1 1–2 1–1 2–3 1–5 — 1–4 3–3 Young Boys 7–1 2–0 1–0 2–3 3–2 2–0 3–2 5–2 — 4–0 Zürich 1–1 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–2 0–0 2–1 0–0 3–3 — Source: Swiss Super League (in German) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Third and fourth round Home \ Away BAS GRA LUG LUZ SIO StG THU XAM YB ZUR Basel — 0–0 1–1 3–2 1–0 1–1 3–1 4–1 2–2 3–0 Grasshopper 0–4 — 1–1 1–3 0–3 0–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–1 Lugano 1–1 3–3 — 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–3 0–0 0–1 3–0 Luzern 0–1 4–0 0–3 — 1–3 3–0 3–1 0–1 1–3 3–0 Sion 0–3 3–0 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 0–1 1–0 0–4 1–0 St. Gallen 0–3 0–0 0–2 1–2 2–1 — 1–3 3–0 4–1 3–1 Thun 1–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 — 0–2 1–1 2–2 Xamax 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 3–1 0–1 3–2 — 1–0 1–2 Young Boys 3–1 6–1 2–2 4–0 1–0 3–2 5–1 2–0 — 2–0 Zürich 0–2 3–1 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 3–0 2–1 0–1 — Source: Swiss Super League (in German) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation play-offs

Ninth placed Xamax faced Aarau, the runner-up of 2018–19 Swiss Challenge League.

First leg

Xamax	0–4	Aarau
	Report	Maierhofer 22' Taşar 34', 69' Mišić 45+2'

30 May 2019 (2019-05-30)

20:00

Stade de la Maladière, Neuchâtel

Attendance: 12,000

Referee: Stephan Klossner

Second leg

Aarau	0–4 (a.e.t.)	Xamax
	Report	Dié 20' Ošs 29' Ademi 38' Tréand 72'
Penalties
Zverotić Jäckle Bürgy Mišić Karanović	4–5	Veloso Tréand Corbaz Ademi Dié

2 June 2019 (2019-06-02)

17:00

Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau

Attendance: 7,526

Referee: Adrien Jaccottet

Neuchâtel Xamax won on penalties after drawing 4–4 on aggregate and will stay in the Swiss Super League.

Attendances

Pos	Team	Total	High	Low	Average	Change
1	Young Boys	378,948	31,120	20,238	25,263	+15.0%†
2	Basel	371,656	29,491	20,717	24,777	−4.2%†
3	St. Gallen	201,326	18,790	9,824	12,583	−0.2%†
4	Zürich	171,145	16,372	7,769	10,697	−0.3%†
5	Luzern	148,462	13,626	7,298	9,279	−7.7%†
6	Sion	134,600	12,800	7,000	8,973	−9.6%†
7	Grasshopper	96,000	16,400	3,500	6,000	−14.5%†
8	Thun	87,678	9,021	4,129	5,845	−1.1%†
9	Xamax	92,410	12,000	3,004	5,776	+66.2%1
10	Lugano	49,950	4,364	2,049	3,330	−11.1%†
	League total	1,732,175	31,120	2,049	11,175	−0.1%†

Updated to games played on 28 April 2019
Source: www.sfl.ch
Notes:
1: Played last season in Challenge League.

Season Statistics

Top scorers

As of matches played on 14 April 2019.^[31]

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Guillaume Hoarau	Young Boys	18
2	Dejan Sorgic	Thun	15
	Jean-Pierre Nsame	Young Boys	15
3	Raphaël Nuzzolo	Xamax	13
4	Albian Ajeti	Basel	12
6	Ricky van Wolfswinkel	Basel	10
	Blessing Eleke	Luzern
	Vincent Sierro	FC St. Gallen
	Marvin Spielmann	Thun
10	Carlinhos	Lugano	9
	Christian Fassnacht	Young Boys
	Benjamin Kololli	FC Zurich

Hat-tricks

Player	For	Against	Result	Date
Guillaume Hoarau	Young Boys	FC St. Gallen	3–1 (A)	31 March 2019

Awards

Annual awards

Award[32]	Winner	Club
Player of the Season	Kevin Mbabu	Young Boys
Young Player of the Season	Djibril Sow	Young Boys
Coach of the Season	Gerardo Seoane	Young Boys\ Lucerne
Goal of the Season	Guillaume Hoarau	Young Boys

Team of the Year[32]
Goalkeeper	Jonas Omlin (Basel)
Defence	Kevin Mbabu (Basel)			Kevin Rüegg (Zurich)			Steve von Bergen (Young Boys)			Loris Benito (Young Boys)
Midfield	Benjamin Kololli (Lausanne/Zurich)			Sekou Sanogo (Young Boys)			Djibril Sow (Young Boys)			Miralem Sulejmani (Young Boys)
Attack	Guillaume Hoarau (Young Boys)						Dejan Sorgic (Thun)

References

1. "Classement des buteurs 2018/19". sfl.ch. Swiss Football League. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
2. "Statistiques de la saison 2018/19". Swiss Super League. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
3. "Spectateurs - Super League 2018/19". Swiss Super League. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
4. "Rahmenterminplan 2018/2019 - Calendrier 2018/2019" (PDF). sfl.ch (in German and French). Retrieved 30 May 2018.^{[permanent dead link]}
5. "Réintroduction des barrages" (in French). sfl.ch. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
6. League, Swiss Football. "FC Basel 1893- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
7. League, Swiss Football. "Grasshopper Club- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
8. "Neuchâtel Xamax FCS | Super League 2021/2022".
9. League, Swiss Football. "FC Lugano- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
10. League, Swiss Football. "FC Luzern- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
11. League, Swiss Football. "FC Sion- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
12. League, Swiss Football. "FC St.Gallen 1879- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
13. League, Swiss Football. "BSC Young Boys- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
14. League, Swiss Football. "FC Zürich- Swiss Football League". www.sfl.ch.
15. "Peter Zeidler officialisé au FC Saint-Gall" (in French). sfl.ch. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
16. "Adi Hütter va partir en Bundesliga" (in French). sfl.ch. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
17. "Gerardo Seoane à la tête du BSC Young Boys" (in French). sfl.ch. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
18. "René Weiler officialisé au FC Lucerne" (in French). sfl.ch. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
19. "Le FC Bâle se sépare de Raphaël Wicky" (in French). sfl.ch. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
20. "Marcel Koller entraîneur du FC Bâle" (in French). sfl.ch. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
21. "Jacobacci "mis en congé" au FC Sion" (in French). sfl.ch. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
22. "Murat Yakin à la tête du FC Sion" (in French). sfl.ch. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
23. "Abascal viré du FC Lugano / Accord avec Celestini" (in French). sfl.ch. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
24. "Fabio Celestini". sfl.ch. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
25. "Knall beim FC Luzern: Trainer René Weiler entlassen" (in German). Watson. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
26. "Beim dritten Mal kommt Thomas Häberli zum FC Luzern und wird neuer Cheftrainer". nzz.ch (in German). Retrieved 4 March 2019.
27. "Trainer Fink und Sportchef Walther müssen bei GC gehen" (in German). tagesanzeiger.ch. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
28. "Der neue GC-Trainer heisst Tomislav Stipic". srf.ch. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
29. "GC schickt Trainer Stipic weg und holt Uli Forte" (in German). nau.ch. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
30. "Règlement de la compétition de la SFL" (PDF) (in French). sfl.ch. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
31. "Top Scorers". Retrieved 14 April 2019.
32. "Super League: Kevin Mbabu élu joueur de l'année". RTSSport.ch (in French). 28 January 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2022.

External links

• Official website