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Shortly before 3 pm, the FC Basel first team will arrive from the stadium to the training ground with their bikes. Right in the middle of the crowd is new coach Ciriaco Sforza. His black tracksuit stands out against the players’ blue training shirts.
About 60 minutes later, the group of blue players with their bikes wait for winger Afimico Pululu after training, who is the last to leave the field after a brief conversation with Sforza. “Pululu, do you have another photoshoot?” Calls Taulant Xhaka. “When he’s there, you can go,” Sforza replies. Shortly after, he explained to reporters: “We are a team. We come and go together. We win among ourselves and we lose among ourselves. We want to show it and we hope the whole club will join in. “The demonstrative cohesion cannot be overlooked in the first training session after Marcel Koller. But other things are also noticeable.
The returnees:
French winger Aldo Kalulu is back in Basel following his loan to Swansea. Yves Kaiser (Schaffhausen) and Konstantinos Dimitriou (Wil) have also returned to training at FCB since yesterday. You can prove yourself for higher tasks under Sforza. Surprisingly, Eric Ramires is also part of the game, although the Brazilian’s loan expired on August 31, he is still in Basel. Sforza wants to get a feel for him. It will later become clear whether Ramires can stay in Basel for the long term. However, the 20-year-old is probably not cheap. Its market value is just under four million francs.
Disruptive fire:
“Positive” is also the magic word for the first training session. What has been has been. We start from scratch and look to the future, ”says Sforza. The solidarity that he exemplifies with his team should also be extended to the rest of the club and the city, according to the new coach. Sforza doesn’t want to know anything about players thinking of beating. “I live an absolutely intact team that has quality and wants to achieve our goals together,” said the coach. He wants to get to know his players better over the next few days through numerous honest discussions. Breakfast and lunch together should help.
Speech:
Ciriaco Sforza is significantly louder than its predecessor. From time to time he pauses in the exercises to give advice. He once surprised Samuele Campo with a cold foot. “What is the problem if I take the ball like this? Samuele? ”Sforza asks. “There isn’t much space,” Campo says. Incorrect. “What are you so?” Sforza helps. “He’s not ready.” Right. Sforza basically tries to get praise. Criticism only comes in combination with a tip or as an incentive. “Be poisonous Samuele”, “more to the left Dimitri” or “Afi not too casual” is the motto. At the end of the session, gather your team in the center circle. Congratulations on the training. Congratulations on the performance. Congratulations on the quality. If everyone participates and everyone wants, there is a lot of quality. “
The philosophy of the game:
Sforza takes ten minutes to push his players across the field like magnets on the tactics board. “Either we move everyone and press the ball. Or we fold”, is the message. Sforza wants to show a powerful style of play with FCB. “We want to show a dominant football,” he says. The basic game system should remain 4-2-3-1. Sforza had last played that with FC Wil.
Wait until everyone is ready. Nobody enters the cabin alone anymore.
© Georgios Kefalas / KEYSTONE
The brief preparation:
The new season begins for FCB on Thursday in two weeks. In the second round of the Europa League qualification, Sforza and his team will face the Croats of NK Osijek. The league also kicks off three days later with a home game in Vaduz, before they can face Cyprus Famagusta in the third round of Europa League qualifying on 24 September. There is not much time for the trainer to convey his ideas. According to his own statement, there is no problem for Sforza.
The captain’s question:
Valentin Stocker will continue to lead FCB as captain next season. Sforza has already decided. He likes the emotions Stocker brings with him.
The absent:
Silvan Widmer is part of the Swiss national team for the Nations League matches against Ukraine and Germany and is therefore absent from the FCB. Jasper van der Werff, Yannick Marchand, Tician Tushi, Orges Bunjaku and Lirik Vishi are available for youth national teams. Raoul Petretta did not train at all, Taulant Xhaka (internal ligament) and Luca Zuffi (cruciate ligament) were on the field but mostly completed a separate training session.
