The Swiss football club FC Basel began their 2010–11 season with various warm-up matches against Swiss lower league, Ukrainian Vyscha Liha, and Ligue 1 clubs. The aims for the team during the 2010–11 season were to take back the league and cup titles as well as to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Overview German Thorsten Fink remained head-coach for the second consecutive season. He brought four youngsters up from the U-21 team, being Matthias Baron, Janick Kamber and the brothers Taulant and Granit Xhaka. Further transfers into the team were Gilles Yapi who came from BSC Young Boys on a free transfer, Genséric Kusunga who also came in on a free transfer from Servette FC and Fwayo Tembo who was bought in from Étoile du Sahel. Yann Sommer also rejoined the team after being on loan to Grasshopper Club Zürich. During the winter break Aleksandar Dragović transferred in from Austria Wien.
In the other direction Marcos Gelabert transferred out to Neuchâtel Xamax, Stefan Wessels moved on to FK Ventspils, Serkan Sahin to Konyaspor, Carlitos to Malaga and Antonio da Silva’s loan came to an end and he returned to Karlsruher SC.
The Campaign Domestic League The format of the 2010–11 Swiss Super League season remained as it had been since the 2003–04 season, divided into two halves, autumn and spring, each half played in a double round robin. Basel entered the season as the reigning champions, having edged the Young Boys out on the final day of the last season. The club’s clear aim for the team in the league was to retain the title.
FCB began the season on 20 July with a home game against FC Zurich, which was won 3–2. The team won their first three games, but in the fourth round suffered an unforeseen 0–1 away defeat against Bellinzona. In the following round Basel suffered an embarrassing 1–4 home defeat against Luzern, which let the team slip to a midfield position in the league table. In the following nine rounds the team remained undefeated, but with five draws in these nine games Basel were well away from being league leaders. What then followed was another embarrassing 1–3 home defeat against Thun. The first half of the domestic season ended on 12 December as Basel travelled to Zurich to face Grasshopper in the away game at the Letzigrund. This game ended with a 1–2 defeat and this left the club with that midfield slot in the table. The triple burden of league, cup and Champions League group stage had taken its toll.
After the winter break, the second half of the season began on 6 February 2011 with a 3–2 revenging away win against Thun. This was the start to Basel’s best phase of the season, during which they advanced to become league leaders with eight consecutive victories and one draw. During the entire second half of the season the team suffered only one defeat, this being the match in the 31st round away against FC Sion, but this defeat meant that they slipped back to second position in the table. In round 33, ten days later, Basel achieved a 2–2 away draw, after twice being a goal behind, against their direct competitors for the title FC Zürich, both were then level on 66 points. Then Zürich lost the derby against Grasshopper Club and because Basel drew against St. Gallen, they moved one point clear at the top. Subsequently on the final match day, on 25 May, Basel’s victory against Luzern secured them the championship for the second time in succession.
The team achieved their aim by winning the championship. Alexander Frei was top goal scorer for the club and in the league with 27 goals. Second top goal scorer in the league was Henri Bienvenu from the Young Boys with 16 goals. Marco Streller was the team’s second top scorer with ten goals, third was Valentin Stocker with seven goals. Frei achieved his personal aim in winning the top-scorer title.
Domestic Cup Basel entered the 2010–11 Swiss Cup in the first round of the competition and the team's clear aim was to defend the title having won the 2009–10 Swiss Cup. In the first round, teams from the Super League and Challenge League were seeded and could not play against each other. In a match, the home advantage was granted to the team from the lower league, if applicable.
Mendrisio-Stabio (19 September 2010) In the first round Basel were drawn against FC Mendrisio-Stabio, who at that time played in the 1. Liga, the third tier of Swiss football. The match was played in the Campo comunale Mendrisio with an attendance of 3,200 spectators. Head coach Thorsten Fink had mixed a number of their youngsters into the team, but nevertheless they dominated their opponents, although they were able to hold on for half an hour before the inevitable occurred. In the 31st minute Federico Almerares was able to put the visitors into the lead. Six minutes later Pascal Schürpf doubled the Basel lead and that was the score at half time. In the 64th minute Fwayo Tembo added a third, nine minutes later Schürpf added his second and two minutes from time Almerares also hit his second as well.
Yverdon-Sports (15 October 2010) In the second round of the Cup the teams from the Super League were seeded and could not play each other. In the matches the home advantage was granted to the team from the lower league, if applicable. Basel were drawn against Yverdon-Sports, who at that time played in the 1. Liga, the third tier of Swiss football. The game was played in the Stade Municipal in Yverdon-les-Bains. Again, head coach Thorsten Fink played with a B-team, the goalie Franco Costanzo travelled with the team as substitute, but the players Alexander Frei, Behrang Safari, Valentin Stocker, Marco Streller, Daniel Unal, Granit Xhaka were all given a day off und Jacques Zoua was injured. There were six youngsters in the team, of whick Taulant Xhaka played his very first game in the starting eleven. Basel started slow and needed 25 minutes before they created their first good chance. Basel played better, but Yverdon held on with their players showing their fighting spirits. On 72 minutes the dead-lock was broken, Reto Zanni crossed from the right, Fwayo Tembo lengthened it and the ball dropped to Federico Almerares’ feet and he made no mistake. Five minutes later a free kick on the left was played shot from Almerares to Xherdan Shaqiri, his cross was met by Tembo who scored from close distance. Basel won 2–0 and advanced to the next round.
Servette (20 November 2010) In the third round, the ties were drawn, there was no seeding, everyone could meet everyone. The home advantage was granted to the team from the lower league, otherwise to the team that was drawn first. Basel were drawn at away against Servette, who at that time played in the Challenge League, the second tier of Swiss football. The game was played in the Stade de Genève with an attendance of 14,150 spectators. Basel were without captain and goalie Franco Costanzo and defender Behrang Safari, both were given a day off, without midfielder Gilles Yapi, who was suspended (due to 5 yellow cards) and without Genséric Kusunga and Marco Streller, both injured. Other top players such as Alexander Frei and Benjamin Huggel were on the bench. Servette started well and they had the first chance but the long-distance free kick was well held by reserve goalie Yann Sommer. On 18 minutes Servette had the ball in their own defensive area, but they played an indecisive pass too many, Federico Almerares rushed between man and ball and was fouled. Scott Chipperfield put the subsequent spot-kick home sending goalie David González in the wrong direction. Basel controlled the rest of the first period, but created only few good chances. However, after the interval Servette took over control and with the first long cross into the box an attacker fell and referee Massimo Busacca decided on penalty here as well. Sommer was left without a chance and things were level again. Federico Almerares had a chance that hit the post, but not many other moves were dangerous. The 1–1 score remained after 90 minutes and also after extra time. Therefore, a penalty shoot-out had to bring the decision. Basel won the shoot-out 4–3 and advanced to the next round.
Biel-Bienne ( 3 March 2011) The winners of Round 3 played in the quarterfinals. The games were played on 2 and 3 March 2011 and Basel were drawn away against FC Biel-Bienne, who at that time played in the Challenge League, the second tier of Swiss football. The game was played in the Gurzelen Stadion with a sold-out attendance of 6,500 on the day. Basel played with their B-team, head coach Thorsten Fink changed ten positions in the starting eleven, Gilles Yapi was the only remaining player compared to the previous championship game. Nevertheless, Basel were favourites and Biel the underdogs. Basel started the game better and in the early stages played concentrated forwards. They came to their first chance, but Scott Chipperfield failed to get contact to the cross, only a couple of inches were missing. Two minutes before the interval a long free kick from Granit Xhaka was deflected into the goal, unluckily, by Biel-Bienne defender Nicolas Kehrli. The Biel-Bienne team came out of the break highly motivated, but they missed their first chance as the ball went over the bar. Two minutes later Ramon Egli equalised for the underdogs, he lifted the ball over the onrushing goalie Yann Sommer and the teams were level. From then onwards, nothing seemed to be prolific for the favourites, they missed their chances. Both teams had their opportunities, but only the home team were able to take advantage. There was a corner for the home team and it was played long, then a cross from the other side and Giuseppe Morello put the home team a goal up. Basel coach reacted immediately, he brought his best forwards Alexander Frei and Marco Streller from the substitutes bench. But following a free-kick out of the Basel defence area, they could only watch the next counter-attack. Pietro Di Nardo trapped the poorly kicked ball and played forwards to Etoundi, who gave the hosts a surprising 3–1 lead and victory. This because the final attack was also from the home team, Egli’s shot, however, rebounded from the cross bar.
Conclusion The club's clear aim had been to defend the title, having won it during the previous season. The embarrassing defeat against a lower classed team was a big disappointment. The team had missed the aim entirely and this increased the pressure on the team in the aim of defending their championship title.
Xamax and Sion advanced to the final, which was played in Basel’s St. Jakob-Park. Sion achieved their overall 12th cup title and were thus qualified for the play-off round of next season’s UEFA Europa League.
Champions League As Swiss Champions Basel entered the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League in the [2010–11 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round#Third qualifying round|third qualifying round]. Basel's clear aim for this competition was to reach the group stage and, if possible, to advance to the knock-out stage, which was to start after the winter break. Basel were top seeded based on their 2010 UEFA club coefficients in the Champions Path and were drawn against the Hungarian champions Debrecen.
Third qualifying round Debreceni VSC (28 July 2010)