The Shaqiri transfer electrifies Basel. The run on his FCB shirt with the "No.10" is so great that the FCB fan store is even paralyzed. The blue Sport experts Zuberbühler and Fringer are also looking forward to Shaq's return, but warn of the immense expectations
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Xherdan Shaqiri returns to FC Basel.
- After twelve years, Shaqiri will now rejoin his boyhood club, the club has announced.
- The FCB fans are ecstatic about the return of their prodigal son. The FCB fan store is already paralyzed.
The return of Xherdan Shaqiri (32) is generating enthusiasm far beyond Basel. The Swiss fan favorite is back in the Super League - 12 years after he left to conquer the football world. Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Stoke City, Liverpool, Olympique Lyon and most recently Chicago Fire were his stops.
Former FCB goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler is also delighted about Shaq's return. "That was wonderful news from Basel. It's great that an ex-Basel player who had a great career is coming back. Shaq has the FCB DNA, he will be a big crowd-puller," says the blue Sport expert.
Just a few minutes after the transfer was announced, FCB realized what a crowd-puller they had lured back: Shaq fans were queuing up outside the fan store at St. Jakobpark. And online, the fan store is virtually blown up. So many Shaqiri jerseys are ordered that the website is temporarily overloaded and crashes.
First Shaqiri wanted his old "No.17"
Shaqiri, who always wore the "No. 17" as a youngster at FCB, has snapped up the "No. 10". Jean-Kévin Augustin wore this last season. Although the Frenchman is still on the Basel payroll, he hasn't played a role in the considerations for a long time and wasn't even at the training camp.
Although Shaq initially wanted his old "No. 17", he then opted for the ten when it was offered to him. On Monday he will be presented to the fans, on Tuesday he will give a press conference and on Wednesday he will train in FCB kit for the first time in a long time. Former national team coach and blue Sport expert Rolf Fringer understands the hype and says: "Shaqiri is a great attraction for the league, he enhances the Super League. I wish him good luck and success at FCB."
"Expectations are now gigantic, of course"
The fans' expectations of FCB and Shaqiri are naturally just as huge as the anticipation. This also harbors dangers. Zuberbühler: "The expectations of Shaq and FCB are of course enormous now. For many, we are now suddenly the favorites for the title. It certainly won't be easy." And Fringer says: "I hope that coach Fabio Celestini is just as pleased about Shaqiri's return as FCB and the whole environment. And that he deploys Shaqiri where he enjoys freedom and can develop."
