1972–73 FC Basel season

FC Basel
1972–73 season
Chairman	Félix Musfeld
Manager	Helmut Benthaus
Ground	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
Nationalliga A	Champions
Swiss Cup	Runner-up
Swiss League Cup	Winners
European Cup	Round 1
Cup of the Alps	Group stage
Top goalscorer	Ottmar Hitzfeld (18)

The 1972–73 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 79th season in their existence. It was their 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. Félix Musfeld was the club's chairman for the third year in a row.

Overview

The previous season was the last one as activ footballer for Helmut Benthaus. He ended his playing career, but continued with Basel as team manager. This was his eighth season as manager. 14 teams contested in the 1972–73 Nationalliga A and Basel won the championship four points ahead of Grasshopper Club and six ahead of the Sion. Basel won 17 of their 26 league games, drew five and lost four. They scored a total of 57 goals conceding 30. Ottmar Hitzfeld was joint leagues top goal scorer with Ove Grahn of Lausanne-Sports both with 18 league goals. Basels second top scorer was Walter Balmer who managed 11 league goals. The average attendance at the 13 league home matches was 13'153 spectators.

In the Swiss Cup Basel played the round of 32 on 5 November 1972 at home to Martigny-Sports in the St. Jakob Stadium. The round of 16 match on 26 November 1972 was played away against BSC Young Boys and Basel left the Wankdorf Stadium with a 4–0 victory. The quarter-finals were two legged fixtures, the first leg played on 10 December 1972 in Stadio Comunale was won 2–0 against Chiasso and the second leg played one week later was won 5–3. The semi-finals were also two legged fixtures. Basel were matched against Biel-Bienne and won 6–1 on aggregate. Walter Balmer scored a hattrick in the home game. The final was played on 23 April 1973 in the Wankdorf Stadium against Zürich. The game ended goalless after 90 minutes. In extra time Peter Marti (92) and Fritz Künzli (101) scored the goals to give Zürich the title for the second consecutive time in a final against Basel.

The 1972 Swiss League Cup was the inaugural Swiss League Cup competition. It was played in the summer of 1972 as a pre-season tournament to the 1972–73 Swiss football season. Basel beat Servette 8–0, Lausanne Sports 2–1 aet and Sion 6–1 to reach the final. This was won by Basel who defeated FC Winterthur 4–1 in the final which took place on 11 November 1972 at the Letzigrund in Zürich. Ottmar Hitzfeld scored a hattick in the final.[1]

Basel were beaten by Újpesti Dózsa 2–0 in the first leg of the first round of the 1972–73 European Cup away from home in the Ferenc Szusza Stadium. The return match was on 27 September 1972 in St. Jakob Stadium. Basel won 3–2, the goals coming from René Hasler (65) and Walter Balmer (75 + 83), but they were beaten 4–3 on aggregate.

In the 1972 Cup of the Alps Basel played twice against Olympique Lyonnais, losing the away tie, winning at home game. They played twice against Bordeaux, winning the away game but losing the home game, but because Bordeaux won their other two games they continued to the final.[2]

Players

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.		Position	Player
		GK	Marcel Kunz (league games: 16)
		GK	Jean-Paul Laufenburger (league games 10)
		GK	Hans Müller (league games: 1)
		GK	Urs Reto Grieshaber (league games: 1)
		DF	Paul Fischli (league games: 18)
		DF	Josef Kiefer (league games: 7)
		DF	René Hasler (league games/goals: 26/4)
		DF	Walter Mundschin (league games/goals: 26/5)
		DF	Jörg Stohler (league games/goals: 16/1)
		MF	Otto Demarmels (league games/goals: 26/3)

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Karl Odermatt (league games/goals: 22/3)
		MF	Bruno Rahmen (league games: 9)
		MF	Peter Ramseier (league games/goals: 24/5)
		MF	Urs Siegenthaler (league games: 25)
		FW	Walter Balmer (league games/goals: 25/11)
		FW	Rolf Blättler (league games/goals: 7/2)
		FW	Ottmar Hitzfeld (league games/goals: 21/18)
		FW	Rolf Riner (league games: 3)
		FW	Roger Ries (league games: 2)
		FW	Peter Wenger (league games/goals: 19/4)

Results

Legend

Win Draw Loss Postponed

Friendly matches

Pre- and Mid-season

22 July 1971 Pre-season	Aarau	2 – 2	Basel	Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau
20:00	Meier 65' (1:2) Hauser 80' (2:2)	Summary	45' (0:1) Riner 57' (0:2) Riner	Attendance: 2,800 Referee: Rudolf Rettig Gerlafingen

27 July 1972 Uhrencup	Basel	2 – 4	Xamax	Stadion Brühl, Grenchen
20:00	Balmer 40' (1:3) Demarmels 86' (2:4)	Summary	6' (0:1) Steiger 12' (0:2) Mathez (I) 33' (0:3) Barbezat 85' (1:4) Rub	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Hans Wieland Grenchen

29 July 1972 Uhrencup	Grenchen	3 – 1	Basel	Stadion Brühl, Grenchen
17:45	Schaller 6' (1:0) Wäber 16' (2:0) Müller 57' (3:1)	Summary	41' (2:1) Blättler	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Jean Dubach Nidau

2 August 1972 Pre-season	FV Lörrach	0 – 6	Basel	Stadtstadion, Lörrach
18:30		Summary	10' (0:1) Hitzfeld 11' (0:2) Balmer 25' (0:3) Hitzfeld 56' (0:4) Demarmels 66' (pen. 0:5) Hitzfeld 67' (0:6) Blättler	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Kurt Woldrich

1 November 1972 Mid-season	Spvgg Lahr	1 – 1	Basel	Lahr
		Summary	Hitzfeld	Referee:

Winter break

25 January 1973 Winter break	Inter Hilton Acapulco	3 – 4	Basel	Acapulco
		Summary	(2x) Riner (1x) Balmer (1x) Hitzfeld	Attendance: 3,000

28 January 1973 Winter break	Deportivo Toluca	1 – 2	Basel	Toluca
		Summary	17' Odermatt 75' Hitzfeld

4 February 1973 Winter break	Luzern	3 – 3	Basel	Stadion Allmend, Luzern
	Arrigoni 56' (1:2) Küttel 79' (2:3) Bosco 85' (3:3)	Summary	16' (0:1) Demarmels 26' (0:2) Odermatt 67' (1:3) Riner	Attendance: 900 Referee: Gottlieb Barmettler Luzern

10 February 1973 Winter break	Zürich	4 – 2	Basel	Letzigrund, Zürich
14:30	Künzli 66' (1:2) Künzli 79' (2:2) Martinelli 83' (3:2) Marti 90' (4:2)	Summary	39' (0:1) Hitzfeld 65' (0:2) Stohler	Attendance: 1,300 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

14 February 1972 Winter break	Basel	2 – 3	Budapest Honvéd	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Wenger 22' (1:1) Siegenthaler 89' (2:3)	Summary	17' (0:1) Kozma 47' (1:2) Pinter 67' (1:3) Pinter	Attendance: 900 Referee:

18 February 1973 Winter break	Basel	3 – 0	Lausanne-Sport	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Wenger 43' (1:0) Riner 49' (2:0) Hitzfeld 85' (3:0)	Summary		Attendance: 1,600 Referee: Anton Bucheli Luzern

25 February 1973 Winter break	Basel	1 – 1	Grenchen	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Ludwig 32' (1:1)	Summary	28' (0:1) Braun	Attendance: 600 Referee: Peter Hänggi Aesch

Nationalliga

League matches

12 August 1972 Round 1	Basel	2 – 3	Sion	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hitzfeld 8' (1:0) Stohler 49' (2:2)	Summary	21' (1:1) Trinchero 42' (1:2) Hermann 78' (2:3) Elsig	Attendance: 10,000 Referee:

19 August 1972 Round 2	Winterthur	3 – 1	Basel	Schützenwiese, Winterthur
17:15	Paolucci 10' (1:0) Risi 22' (2:0) Risi 45' (3:1)	Summary	35' (2:1) Hitzfeld	Attendance: 10,500 Referee: Ulysse Darbellay Roche

23 August 1972 Round 3	Zürich	1 – 1	Basel	Letzigrund, Zürich
20:15	Jeandupeux 10' (1:1)	Summary	2' (0:1) Mundschin	Attendance: 19,000 Referee: Jean Dubach Nidau

26 August 1972 Round 4	Basel	2 – 2	Servette	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Ramseier 15' (1:0) Blättler 63' (2:0)	Summary	78' (2:1) Wegmann 85' (2:2) Dörfel	Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

2 September 1972 Round 5	Fribourg	0 – 1	Basel	Stade Universitaire Saint-Léonard, Fribourg
20:15		Summary	53' (1:0) Blättler 47' Hasler 48' Demarmels	Attendance: 10,500 Referee: Hans Wieland Grenchen

9 September 1972 Round 6	Basel	2 – 0	Grenchen	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
18:00	Ramseier 22' (1:0) Balmer 77' (2:0)	Summary	85' Schaller	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Pierre Despont Lausanne

16 September 1972 Round 7	Grasshopper Club	1 – 2	Basel	Hardturm, Zürich
20:15	Meier 46' (1:0) Meyer 50' Winiger 66'	Summary	47' (o.g. 1:1) 63' (1:2) Hitzfeld 64' Ramseier	Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Bruno Della Bruna Lumino

23 September 1972 Round 8	Basel	5 – 2	Lugano	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Ramseier 25' (1:1) Balmer 27' (2:1) Wenger 46' (3:1) Balmer 86' (4:2) Hauser 89' (5:2)	Summary	16' (0:1) Franceschi 49' (3:2) Ausderau 53' Rieländer 74' Corghi	Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Roland Racine Prilly

30 September 1972 Round 9	Basel	4 – 3	St. Gallen	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Wenger 8' (1:1) Wenger 51' (2:2) Ramseier 71' (3:2) Hasler 78' (4:2)	Summary	5' (0:1) Leuzinger 19' (1:2) Nasdalla 90' (4:3) Coray	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

8 October 1972 Round 10	Chiasso	0 – 0	Basel	Stadio Comunale (Chiasso)
15:00		Summary	62' Stohler	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: André Favre Echallens

14 October 1972 Round 11	Basel	2 – 1	Lausanne-Sport	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hitzfeld 49' (1:1) Mundschin 85' (2:1)	Summary	33' (0:1) Garci	Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Jean Dubach Nidau

28 October 1972 Round 12	La Chaux-de-Fonds	2 – 3	Basel	Stade Charrière, La Chaux-de-Fonds
17:00	Jaquet 17' (1:1) Meury 86' (pen. 2:3)	Summary	9' (pen. 0:1) Hitzfeld 32' Hitzfeld 34' (1:2) Odermatt 43' (1:3) Hitzfeld	Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Walter Gallmann Oberrieden

19 November 1972 Round 13	Basel	2 – 0	Young Boys	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Hitzfeld 28' (1:0) Hasler 61' (pen. 2:0)	Summary	41' Vögeli	Attendance: 13,500 Referee: Bruno Della Bruna Lumino

3 December 1972 Round 14	Sion	2 – 1	Basel	Stade Tourbillon, Sion
14:30	Schaller 49' (1:0) Vergeres 80' (2:1) Luisier 85'	Summary	51' (1:1) Odermatt 70' Odermatt	Attendance: 8,500 Referee: Mario Clematide Zollikofen

4 March 1973 Round 15	Basel	3 – 1	Winterthur	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Mundschin 7' (1:0) Balmer 40' (2:0) Balmer 59' (3:1)	Summary	41' Meili 51' (2:1) Risi	Attendance: 12,500 Referee: Ulysse Darbellay Roche

11 March 1973 Round 16	Servette	0 – 0	Basel	Charmilles Stadium, Geneva
15:00		Summary		Attendance: 7,200 Referee: Roland Keller Bern

18 March 1973 Round 17	Basel	3 – 0	Fribourg	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
	Hitzfeld 24' (1:0) Ramseier 72' (2:0) Hitzfeld 76' (3:0)	Summary		Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

1 April 1973 Round 18	Grenchen	1 – 2	Basel	Stadion Brühl, Grenchen
15:00	Feuz (II) 55' (1:1)	Summary	27' Fischli 37' (0:1) Hitzfeld 70' (1:2) Hitzfeld	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: André Favre Echallens

14 April 1973 Round 19	Basel	0 – 1	Grasshopper Club	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00		Summary	8' (0:1) P. Meier	Attendance: 28,000 Referee: Jean Dubach Nidau

29 April 1973 Round 20	Lugano	0 – 1	Basel	Cornaredo, Lugano
15:00		Summary	8' (0:1) Balmer 65' Wenger	Attendance: 7,200 Referee: Roland Racine Prilly

2 May 1973 Round 21	Basel	2 – 1	Zürich	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Balmer 38' (1:0) Odermatt 48' (2:0)	Summary	41' Heer 76' (2:1) Brunnenmeier	Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Rudolf Scheurer Bettlach

12 May 1973 Round 22	St. Gallen	3 – 4	Basel	Espenmoos, St. Gallen
20:15	Blättler 25' (1:1) Nasdalla 53' (2:3) Nasdalla 90' (pen. 3:4)	Summary	12' (0:1) Mundschin 33' (1:2) Mundschin 45' (1:3) Wenger 53' Mundschin 74' (2:4) Demarmels	Attendance: 10,200 Referee: Anton Bucheli Luzern

19 May 1972 Round 23	Basel	4 – 0	Chiasso	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hitzfeld 12' (1:0) Hitzfeld 70' (2:0) Balmer 80' (3:0) Demarmels 80' (4:0)	Summary		Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Fernand Burioli Lausanne

26 May 1972 Round 24	Lausanne-Sport	0 – 0	Basel	Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne
20:30	Ostojic 28' Richard 47'	Summary	30' Müller	Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Bruno Della Bruna Lumino

2 June 1972 Round 25	Basel	7 – 1	La Chaux-de-Fonds	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:15	Hitzfeld 16' (1:1) Balmer 18' (2:1) Hasler 42' (3:1) Balmer 51' (4:1) Hitzfeld 70' (5:1) Hitzfeld 71' (pen. 6:1) Demarmels 82' (7:1)	Summary	14' (0:1) Delavelle 42' Zaugg 71' Forestier	Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Hans Wieland Grenchen

9 June 1972 Round 26	Young Boys	2 – 3	Basel	Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
20:15	Brechbühl 37' (1:1) Bosshard 84' (2:3)	Summary	15' (pen. 0:1) Hitzfeld 53' (1:2) Hitzfeld 66' (1:3) Balmer	Attendance: 24,000 Referee: Marcel Despland Yverdon Last game as referee

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	FC Basel (C)	26	17	5	4	57	30	+27	39	1973–74 European Cup
2	Grasshopper Club Zürich	26	14	7	5	54	32	+22	35
3	FC Sion	26	13	7	6	35	30	+5	33
4	Servette FC Genève	26	14	3	9	41	23	+18	31
5	FC Winterthur	26	12	6	8	40	29	+11	30

Source: rsssf.com
(C) Champion.

Swiss Cup

5 November 1972 Round of 32	Basel	6 – 0	Martigny-Sports	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Riner 18' (1:0) Balmer 49' (2:0) Hitzfeld 77' (pen. 3:0) Riner 81' (4:0) Balmer 83' (5:0) Riner 87' (6:0)	Summary		Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Ernest Guignet Yverdon

26 November 1972 Round of 16	BSC Young Boys	0 – 4	Basel	Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
14:30	Brechbühl 65'	Summary	26' (0:1) Demarmels 57' (0:2) Riner 61' (0:3) Odermatt 63' (0:4) Wenger	Attendance: 11,500 Referee: Anton Bucheli Luzern

10 December 1972 Quarter-final First leg	Chiasso	0 – 2	Basel	Stadio Comunale, Chiasso
14:30	Ferroni 68' Sulmoni 70'	Summary	2' (0:1) Balmer 37' Ramseier 44' Wenger 55' (0:2) Wenger	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Roland Racine Prilly

17 December 1972 Second leg	Basel	5 – 3 (7 – 3 agg.)	Chiasso	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
14:30	Ries 12' (1:0) Balmer 15' (2:0) Hasler 64' (3:2) Odermatt 68' (4:2) Odermatt 89' (5:3)	Summary	32' (2:1) Allio 34' (2:2) Boriani 79' (4:2) Messerli 81' Katnic	Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Walter Gallmann Oberrieden

25 March 1973 Semi-final First leg	Biel-Bienne	0 – 1	Basel	Gurzelen Stadion, Biel/Bienne
20:15		Summary	76' Hitzfeld	Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Bruno Della Bruna Lumino

28 March 1973 Semi-final Second leg	Basel	5 – 1 (6 – 1 agg.)	Biel-Bienne	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
	Balmer 19' (1:1) Balmer 31' (2:1) Hitzfeld 36' (3:1) Balmer 51' (4:1) Demarmels 78' (6:1)	Summary	6' (0:1) Konrad	Attendance: 7,800 Referee: Walter Gallmann Oberrieden

23 April 1973 Final	Zürich	2 – 0 (a.e.t.)	Basel	Wankdorf, Bern
14:30	Marti 92' Künzli 101'	Summary		Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Roland Keller Bern

Swiss League Cup

5 August 1972 Round of 16	Basel	8 – 0	Servette FC Genève	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Balmer 12' (1:0) Hitzfeld 21' (2:0) Hitzfeld 25' (3:0) Stohler 49' (4:0) Stohler 57' (5:0) Wenger 73' (6:0) Riner 77' (7:0) Wenger 86' (8:0)	Summary		Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Gérard Racine Biel/Bienne

8 August Quarter-final	Basel	2 – 1 (a.e.t.)	Lausanne-Sport	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
	Balmer 78' (1:1) Schönebeck 120' (2:1)	Summary	69' (0:1) Piccand	Attendance: 8,300

11 October 1972 Semi-final	Basel	6 – 1	Sion	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
	Hitzfeld 16' (1:0) Balmer 26' (2:0) Demarmels 42' (3:1) Demarmels 57' Odermatt 64' (4:1) Demarmels 75' (5:1) Wenger 81' (6:1)	Summary	26' (2:1) Hermann 47' Valentini 47' Wampfler 76' Barberis	Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Anton Bucheli Luzern

11 November 1972 Final	Basel	4 – 1	FC Winterthur	Letzigrund, Zürich
14:30	Hitzfeld 6' (1:0) Hitzfeld 22' (2:0) Balmer 40' (3:1) Hitzfeld 90' (pen. 4:1)	Summary	25' Nielsen	Attendance: 7,600 Referee: Jean Dubach Nidau

European Cup

First round

13 September 1972 First leg	Újpesti Dózsa	2 – 0	Basel	Újpest
	Horváth 57' Zámbó 60'	Report		Stadium: Ferenc Szusza Stadium

27 September 1972 Second leg	Basel	3 – 2	Újpesti Dózsa	Basel
	Hasler 65' Balmer 75', 83'	Report	Bene 46', 89'	Stadium: St. Jakob Stadium

Újpesti Dózsa won 4–3 on aggregate.

Cup of the Alps

Matches

17 June 1972 Round 1	Girondins de Bordeaux	1 – 3	Basel	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
	Papin 34' (1:2)	Summary	14' (0:1) Balmer 32' (0:2) Blättler 85' (1:3) Wenger	Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Gérard Racine Biel/Bienne

20 June 1972 Round 2	Olympique Lyonnais	1 – 0	Basel	Stade de Gerland, Lyon
	Trivic 28' (1:0)	Summary		Attendance: 3,410 Referee: Roland Keller Bern

24 June 1972 Round 3	Basel	3 – 4	Girondins de Bordeaux	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Hasler 3' (1:0) Balmer 48' (2:2) Hasler 90' (3:4)	Summary	21' (1:1) Goubet 25' (1:2) Giresse 49' (2:3) Lipo 52' (2:4) Petit	Attendance: 4,500 Referee: Roger Machin

27 June 1972 Round 4	Basel	3 – 2	Olympique Lyonnais	St. Jakob Stadium, Basel
20:00	Demarmels 52' (1:0) Stohler 68' (2:1) Ramseier 87' (3:1)	Summary	55' (1:1) Lacombe 88' (3:2) Di Nallo	Attendance: 2,600 Referee: Robert Frauciel

Group B league table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	Pts	Notes
1	Girondins de Bordeaux	4	3	1	14	9	6	Qualified for final
2	Basel	4	2	2	9	4	4
3	Olympique Lyonnais	4	2	2	8	8	4
4	Servette	4	1	3	8	14	2

Sources and references

Rotblau: Jahrbuch Saison 2015/2016. Publisher: FC Basel Marketing AG. ISBN 978-3-7245-2050-4
Switzerland 1972–73 at RSSSF

Garin, Eric (1972). "Switzerland - League Cup Finals". rsssf.com. Retrieved 2004-11-14.
Veronese, Andrea (1972). "Cup of the Alps 1972". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-16.

External links

FC Basel official site

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[rsssf_2004-11-14-1] Garin, Eric (1972). "Switzerland - League Cup Finals". rsssf.com. Retrieved 2004-11-14.

[rsssf_1972_cup_of_the_alps-2] Veronese, Andrea (1972). "Cup of the Alps 1972". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-16.