The 2024-25 Swiss Super League kicks off with more plot twists than an Alpine switchback. Basel’s dynasty is officially over after last year’s shock sixth-place finish, while Young Boys aim for a fifth straight title before coach Raphaël Wicky departs for greener pastures. Here’s how the nine-team race will unfold.
1. Young Boys – Still the Standard
Despite losing striker Cedric Itten to Hamburg, YB’s academy pipeline is gushing. Israeli wonderkid Oscar Gloukh arrives on loan from Salzburg, and goalkeeper Anthony Racioppi is finally healthy. The Bernese press machine will squeeze 2.2 points per match out of the league’s youngest back four. Projected finish: 1st, 76 pts.
2. Servette – Geneva’s Sleeping Giant Awakens
Alain Geiger has quietly built the league’s meanest defense (0.9 xGA per game since March). Returning loanees Dereck Kutesa and Timothé Cognat add cut-throat counter-attacks. A deep Europa League run could fatigue them in spring, but a cup double is realistic. 2nd, 68 pts.
3. FC Lugano – The Loan-Army Club
Chairman Matthias Hüppi’s network of Italian partners delivers another batch of Serie A cast-offs. Creative spark Renato Steffen is 33 but still unmarkable in the league. Lugano’s xG differential (+14.3) was second only to YB last year; expect a late surge that falls just short. 3rd, 63 pts.
4. St. Gallen – High Press, Higher Variance
New coach Peter Zeidler wants 4-2-2-2 mayhem inherited from his Salzburg days. When it clicks, they’ll win 5-0 in Luzern; when it doesn’t, they’ll concede three set-piece headers to the cellar dwellers. A December slump knocks them out of the title race. 4th, 58 pts.
5. FC Winterthur – The Best Worst Team
Analytically, Winterthur should have finished eighth last season, but 98th-minute goals carried them to 6th. Regression is coming, yet captain Matteo Di Gesu’s long throws remain an unsolved cheat code. 5th, 48 pts.
6. FC Zürich – Rebuild or Bust
After flirting with relegation, the Lions offloaded nine veterans and entrusted the keys to 20-year-old playmaker Léo Bonatini. Expect dazzling Friday-night wins followed by Sunday-afternoon hangovers. 6th, 46 pts.
7. Lausanne-Sport – Youth on a Tightrope
The Vaudois possess the league’s richest collection of 17-year-olds, but FIFA’s embargo means they can’t be reinforced. When school exams hit in April, depth evaporates. 7th, 42 pts.
8. Luzern – Alpine Chaos Theory
No club has lost more points from winning positions since 2021. New American coach Josh Wolff promises vertical buildup, yet the roster still looks built for 2014. A nervy final day secures survival. 8th, 38 pts.
9. Yverdon-Sport – Farewell Tour
Promoted via playoffs, the Jurabois celebrate every point like a trophy. Their 3-5-2 block frustrates for 60 minutes, but fitness gaps show in the last third. Relegated with 28 pts, but memories last longer.
Golden Boot: It will take a super-computer to separate Jean-Pierre Nsame (Young Boys) and Chris Bedia (Servette). Give the edge to Nsame on penalties—22 goals.
Breakthrough Kid: Lugano’s 18-year-old winger, Alessandro Casciato, bags eight assists and earns a January bid from Atalanta.
Relegation Playoff: Yverdon falls to Wil, restoring the traditional power balance between West and East Switzerland.
Bottom line? Young Boys coast, Servette roar, and the Alps echo with another year of Swiss unpredictability.
