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FC Basel have parted ways with head coach Stephan Lichtsteiner after a run of results that made the decision feel less like a choice and more like an inevitability. The Swiss Super League club announced the termination on September 9, 2026, following two consecutive home defeats that left the team stuck in mediocrity with no visible trajectory toward improvement.
Lichtsteiner’s tenure lasted roughly seven months. His contract ran until summer 2029, which means Basel are eating a significant chunk of that deal to make this change now.
The numbers that sealed Lichtsteiner’s fate
Under Lichtsteiner, Basel won just 10 of 27 matches. That translates to an average of 1.22 points per game, a rate that would leave any club languishing in the middle of the table rather than competing for titles.
The recent form was particularly grim. A 1-2 loss to Sion and a 1-3 defeat to Lugano were sandwiched around a 3-3 draw with Young Boys. After seven rounds of league play, Basel sat on 10 points with three home defeats in four games.
Club president David Degen did not mince words about the rationale. He indicated that belief in the team’s ability to improve had eroded in recent weeks.
From legend to liability
Stephan Lichtsteiner arrived at Basel with the kind of CV that commands respect. The former Swiss international spent years at the highest levels of European football, featuring prominently for Juventus and Arsenal during a decorated playing career. He earned over 100 caps for Switzerland, making him one of the most recognizable figures in the country’s football history.
Basel brought him in during late January 2026 as a replacement for Ludovic Magnin, whose own results had been better by comparison.
Lichtsteiner’s departure was not a solo exit. Assistant coach Mario Cantaluppi also left the club, suggesting Basel wanted a clean break from the entire coaching setup rather than a partial reshuffling. Luigi Nocentini, who served as another assistant, has been handed interim duties while the club searches for a permanent replacement.
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