By Alex Roberts
It’s all just a matter of time really, lifting that giant, golden trophy is just a formality for Basel at this point. Sitting at the summit, six points ahead of second-placed Servette, who they play next, the stage is set.
In the previous season, the Swiss giants had just endured one of their worst seasons in living memory, finishing in eighth as Young Boys won their fourth title in five years.
After an underwhelming two and a half seasons in the MLS with Chicago Fire, Shaqiri answered the call and put pen to paper on a three-year deal with his boyhood club, returning 13 years after he left to join Bayern Munich all the way back in 2012.
Before signing with Basel this season, he had been at risk of becoming one of those ‘streets won’t forget’ players millennials on Twitter love to go on about, never quite living up to his potential despite playing for some of the biggest clubs in the world. Remember how good Michu was!?
There is still an argument to be made. Ahead of 2024-25, the winger turned playmaker had never broken double digits in terms of goals or assists, with his most prolific season been back in 2017-18 in which he scored eight goals and provided seven assists while at Stoke City.
He’s completely blown that out of the water this time around. At the time of writing this hopefully enjoyable piece, Shaqiri has bagged 16 goals and provided 17 assists in his 33 games across all competitions.
In the league alone, he has contributed to 52% of Basel’s goals, an impressive feat, especially given that his side have been by far the most potent attacking side in Switzerland, scoring 72 goals with a goal difference of +40, 31 more than their nearest challengers, Servette.
It took him a little while to get going, his first four games were, in all honesty, pretty poor. It was clear Shaqiri wasn’t fit enough, all that deep-dish pizza back in the windy city may have caught up with him. He needed to get up to scratch, and quick.
On October 6th, Basel hosted Super League holders Young Boys. It was too early to be a title decider, but the winner would receive a significant boost in the race regardless. Shaqiri stepped up to the plate and shone, providing the assist for Adrian Leon Barišić’s 52nd minute winner with a lovely in-swinging free-kick.
He hasn’t looked back since. Playing in the number ten role rather than on the wing and given complete creative freedom by manager Fabio Celestini, all parties are reaping the benefits of Shaqiri’s innate talent.
At 33 years of age, geriatric in footballing terms, Celestini has seemingly come to terms with the fact that Shaqiri is unlikely to track-back and make a last-ditch tackle to prevent an opposition goal.
Instead, he has complete faith in his ability to be an incredibly potent attacking threat. His best game so far this season was probably the 6-1 away win over Winterthur, in which he scored two goals and provided three assists, but it wasn’t his most important. That was the 3-1 win over Servette.
Much like the win over Young Boys, it was still a little too early to consider it a title decider, considering it was played in November and all. Shaqiri opened the scoring in the 40th minute, curling in the freekick he had won just two minutes before.
Fifteen minutes later Timothe Cognat levelled things up with a close-range effort and the two sides looked set to share the points. Finally, after a lengthy VAR intervention, Basel were given the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot in the 91st minute.
Shaqiri’s initial shot was saved by Servette ‘keeper Jeremy Frick, but all he could do was parry it directly back into his path, and Basel once again took the lead. About a minute later, he turned Theo Magnin inside out before securing his hattrick and all three points with a fairly timid effort that was just beyond Frick’s reach.
Now, the reverse fixture is fast approaching, and Shaqiri will doubtless be wanting to put in an equally monumental performance to secure the league title for Basel and their young squad.
Shaqiri is a new man back at Basel. He’s led by example, becoming a beacon for those who are coming through the club’s academy, as well as the ones who are already in the first team, just like he did all those years ago.
Players like Bénie Traoré, Anton Kade, and Bradley Fink can learn a lot from arguably the best player Basel have ever produced, the man who has been there, done that, and picked up several t-shirts along the way.
With that been said, the diminutive attacker isn’t done just yet, he still has plenty to show, although he doesn’t have to prove himself to anyone, not anymore. This season has proven one thing, Shaqiri is, and always was, a star.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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