The 1997–98 season was FC Zürich's 101st season in their existence, since their foundation in 1896. It was their eighth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football, following their promotion at the end of 1989–90 season.
Overview The local businessman Sven Hotz was the club's chairman and patron at this time. He had taken over as club president at the AGM in 1986. Raimondo Ponte had been the FCZ first team head-coach during the previous seasons and he had prolonged his contract with the club for this season. The FCZ first team competed in this years domestic first-tier 1997–98 Nationalliga A with the clear intention of retaining their top level status and reaching the championship group for the second half of the season. The team also competed in 1997–98 Swiss Cup. They had not qualified for any of the UEFA European tournaments and they did not enter the 1997 Intertoto Cup. Their aim this season was to reach the top three of the league and thus qualify for the 1998–99 UEFA Cup or to win the domestic cup competition.
FCZ played their home games in the Letzigrund, a stadium also used by the athletics club . The stadium originally opened in 1925, was partially rebuilt in 1973 and modernised during the previous and this season. The stadium is located in the west of Zurich in the district of Altstetten, which is about three kilometers from the city center.
At the end of the league season FCZ found themselves in fourth position in the table and so they had failed to reach third place which was the qualification slot for the 1998–99 UEFA Cup. One week later the Swiss Cup final took place and Lausanne-Sport won the trophy by beating St. Gallen after a penalty shoot-out. Thus Lausanne qualified for the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. As Lausanne were in third position in the final league table, the UEFA Cup slot was passed down to the next placed team and FCZ qualified.
Players The following is the list of the FCZ first team squad this season. It also includes players that were in the squad the day the domestic league season started, on 5 July 1997, but subsequently left the club after that date.
Players who left the squad The following is the list of the FCZ first team players that left the squad during the previous season or in the off-season, before the new domestic season began.
Results Legend
Nationalliga A
Qualification phase The first stage of the NLA began on 5 July 1997 and was completed on 7 December. The top eight teams in the qualification phase would advance to the championship group and the last four teams would play against relegation.
Qualification table
Championship group The first eight teams of the qualification phase competed in the Championship round. The teams took half of the points (rounded up to complete units) gained in the qualification as bonus with them. The championship phase began on 1 March 1998 and was completed on 23 May.
Final league table
Swiss Cup
The first-tier clubs from the 1994–95 Nationalliga A were granted byes for the first four rounds, they joined the competition in this round. The first-tier teams were seeded and cound not be drawn against each other. The draw respected regionalities, when possible, and the lower classed team was granted home advantage.
Friendly matches Pre-season
Winter break
References
Sources dbFCZ Homepage Switzerland 1997–98 at RSSSF