1998–99 FC Aarau season

FC Aarau 1998–99 120 Club president Ernst Lämmli Head-coach Martin Trümpleruntil end of SeptemberAlfred Strasseruntil end of March 1999Jochen Dries Stadion Brügglifeld,Aarau 1998–99 NLA Qualifying phase 12th of 12 Promotion/relegation group NLA/NLB 4th of 8 1998–99 Swiss Cup Round 5 Roumen Ivanov (15) Roumen Ivanov (15) 1997–98 1999–2000 The 1998–99 season was FC Aarau's 96th season in their existence, since their foundation in 1902. It was their seventeenth season in the top flight of Swiss football, following their promotion at the end of 1980–81 season. FCA played their home games in the Stadion Brügglifeld and the stadium is located on the southern outskirts of Aarau, in the territory of the neighboring municipality of Suhr. It is about one and a half kilometers from Aarau city center and the railway station. Overview The local businessman and architect Ernst Lämmli was the club's chairman and patron at this time. He held this position since the AGM in 1989. In advance of the new season, Lämmli extended the contract with Martin Trümpler as head-coach and thus it was to be his fourth season in this position with the club. The FCA first team competed in this season's domestic first-tier 1998–99 Nationalliga A with the clear intention of reaching the championship group and to qualify for the European competitions. To achieve this would mean they would have to finish the qualifying stage under the top eight teams. The team also competed in the 1998–99 Swiss Cup. The FCA team had ended the previous league season in seventh position and so had not qualified for the UEFA European competitions and they did not enter the Intertoto Cup. However, the season did not commence sportingly very successfully. After the first eleven rounds, the team were struggling deep in the lower segment of the league table. Lämmli started exercising pressure on head-coach Trümpler. At the end of September, following a home defeat against Servette Lämmli dismissed Trümpler and for the next match installed Alfred Strasser as coach ad-interim. Despite this measure the team remained in the relegation zone and in spring they had to compete in the promotion/relegation group. Following two league defeats and their elimination from the Swiss Cup, Strasser had to leave as well. Lämmli then appointed the German Jochen Dries as new head-coach. Dries had spent the previous twenty years coaching second and third-tier clubs in Switzerland. Players The following is the list of the FCA first team squad this season. It also includes players that were in the squad the day the domestic league season started, on 18 July 1998, but subsequently left the club after that date. SUI GK Ivan Benito league games: 31 SUI GK Dino Roselli league games: 10 SUI GK Giosuè Salamina league games: 0 SUI DF David Bader league games: 33 SUI DF Sven Christ league games: 10 SUI DF Mario Eggimann league games: 6 ITA DF Eric Mangia league games: 5 SUI DF Dejan Markovic league games: 27 SUI DF Frédéric Page league games: 25 CRO DF Mirko Pavličević league games: 34 SUI DF Ivan Previtali league games: 24 SUI DF Beat Studer league games: 19 SUI DF Davide Zitola league games: 9 SUI MF Ross Aloisi league games: 2 ITA MF Roberto Baldassari league games: 32 CZE MF Jan Berger league games: 24 SUI MF Marcel Heldmann league games: 35 POL MF Dariusz Skrzypczak league games: 29 SUI MF Gerardo Viceconte league games: 1 SUI MF André Wiederkehr league games: 3 POL MF Sławomir Wojciechowski league games: 26 BUL FW Petar Alexandrov league games: 30 ITA FW Gerardo Donatiello league games: 2 SUI FW Lucio Esposito league games: 27 BUL FW Roumen Ivanov league games: 35 GHA FW Prince Polley league games: 9 SUI FW Remo Tovagliaro league games: 2 SUI FW Carmine Viceconte league games: 2 EGY FW Abdel Sattar Sabry league games: 7 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. SUI GK Andreas Hilfiker to 1. FC Nürnberg SUI DF Bernd Kilian to FC Wangen bei Olten SUI MF Elvir Melunović to Servette NED MF Lodewijk Roembiak to Werder Bremen MKD FW Sasa Ciric to 1. FC Nürnberg SUI FW Patrick de Napoli to Grasshopper Club SUI FW Samuel Drakopulos to Young Boys LUX FW Jeff Saibene to Locarno SUI FW David Zdrilic to SSV Ulm Results Legend #CCFFCC Win 1px solid #AAAAAA #FFFFCC Draw 1px solid #AAAAAA #FFCCCC Loss 1px solid #AAAAAA #CCCCCC Postponed 1px solid #AAAAAA Nationalliga A 1998–99 Nationalliga A Qualification phase The first stage of the NLA began on 18 July 1998 and was completed on 13 December. The top eight teams in the qualification phase would advance to the championship group and the last four teams would play against relegation. Round 1 18 July 1998 19:30 Servette 3–2 FCA summary Aarau Durix 9 1:0Juárez 0 60(Roselli) 62 o.g. 2:2Wolf 79 3:2Rey 23 1:1 Berger59 pen. 1:2 Ivanov Markovic Charmilles Stadium, Geneva 3,389 SUI Jürg Herrmann (Hinterkapplen (Wohlen bei Bern)) L Round 2 21 July 1998 19:30 Aarau 5–0 FCB summaryFCA summary Basel Aleksandrov 8 1:0Ivanov 21 2:0Aleksandrov 51 3:0Aleksandrov 65 4:0Heldmann 70 5:0Zitola 87 12 Pérez Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 5,900 SUI Reto Rutz (Amriswil) W Aarau fielded their full squad. Basel were without Fabinho, Henry, Frick (all injured), Disseris, Reimann (suspended), Ouattara, Veiga, Abedi (all three not eligible) and Cravero (suspended and not eligible). This was referee Reto Rutz's first top-tier match, good performance. Round 3 25 July 1998 19:30 Xamax 0–0 FCA summary Aarau Gämperle Ivanov Studer Markovic Stade de la Maladière, Neuchâtel 7,800 SUI Dominique Tavel (Lonay) D Round 4 31 July 1998 19:30 Aarau 2–6 FCA summary St. Gallen Ivanov 49 pen. 1:2Skrzypczak 66 2:5 17 0:1 Gil19 0:2 Yakin53 1:3 Gil59 1:4 Vurens64 1:5 Slavchev70 2:6 Contini Tsawa Hellinga Sene Yakin Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 4,500 SUI Andreas Schluchter (Schönenbuch) L Round 5 5 August 1998 19:30 Grasshopper Club 2–0 FCA summary Aarau Türkyilmaz 55 1:0Vogel 79 penTürkyilmaz 2 61 Previtali Wojciechowski Zitola Hardturm, Zürich 8,800 SUI Dieter Schoch (Attiswil) L Match pulled forward from 8 August Round 6 16 August 1998 14:30 Aarau 2–2 FCA summary Lausanne-Sport Ivanov 64 pen- 1:1Heldmann 79 2:1 13 pen. 0:1 Celestini87 2:2 Thurre Puce Londono Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,900 SUI Roberto Ferrari D Round 7 22 August 1998 17:30 Young Boys 1–1 FCA summary Aarau Bekirovski 26 1:1Pintul Baumann 1 1:0 Ivanov Ivanov Heldmann Previtali Wankdorf Stadium, Bern 4,250 SUI Philippe Leuba (Chexbres) D The first goal fell in under 30 seconds. Round 8 29 August 1998 19:30 Aarau 2–0 FCA summary Lugano Berger 28 1:0Esposito 76 2:0Bader Fernandez Giannini Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,600 SUI Jürg Herrmann (Hinterkapplen (Wohlen bei Bern)) W Round 9 8 September 1998 19:30 Sion 3–2 FCA summary Aarau Eydelie 40 1:1Tholot 58 2:1Tholot 67 3:1Tholot 29 0:1 Heldmann77 3:2 Heldmann Page Stade Tourbillon, Sion 5,800 SUI Guido Wildhaber (Kerzers) L Round 10 13 September 1998 16:15 Luzern 2–2 FCA summary Aarau Moser 27 1:1Koch 80 2:2Moser 26 0:1 Ivanov28 1:2 Ivanov Wojciechowski Studer Pavličević Stadion Allmend, Luzern 4,518 SUI Reto Rutz (Amriswil) D Round 11 20 September 1998 16:15 Aarau 0–2 FCZ summaryFCA summary Zürich Aleksandrov 7Previtali 45Esposito 79 17 Bartlett24 Nixon45 pen Bartlett50 Del Signore56 0:2 Sant'Anna Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 3,700 SUI Claude Detruche, (Thônex) L Round 12 25 September 1998 19:30 Aarau 1–4 FCA summary Servette Ivanov 24 1:0 81 1:1 Pizzinat84 1:2 Bühlmann88 1:3 Varela90+2 1:7 Varela Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,300 LIE Roland Beck (Triesenberg) L Round 13 4 October 1998 16:15 Basel 1–0 FCB summaryFCA summary Aarau Ouattara 50 1:0Abedi 69 55 Markovic St. Jakob Stadium, Basel 7,300 SUI Marcel Vollenweider (Rüti, Zürich) L FCB without Konde, Veiga (both suspended), Henry, Huggel and Reimann (both injured); FCA with a full squad. FCA with new coach Alfred Strasser. The 17-year-old junior international Mario Eggimann made his NLA debut for Aarau. Kreuzer was substituted out at halftime due to back problems. Sahin then played as libero. Round 14 18 October 1998 14:30 Aarau 0–2 FCA summary Xamax Bader Studer 16 0:1 Isabella85 0:2 Zambaz Zambaz N'Diaye Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,100 SUI René Rogalla (Wallisellen) L Round 15 25 October 1998 14:30 St. Gallen 4–3 FCA summary Aarau Sène 12 1:0Tsawa 63 2:3(Skrzypczak) 70 ogGil 74 4:3Zellweger 27 1:1 Heldmann33 1:2 Baldassari41 1:3 Baldassari2 77 Wojciechowski Heldmann Donatiello Espenmoos, St. Gallen 8,300 SUI Nicolas Daina L Round 16 30 October 1998 19:30 Aarau 0–3 FCA summary Grasshopper Club 23 0:1 Türkyilmaz29 0:2 Haas90+3 Smiljanić Haas Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 1.600 LIE Roland Beck (Triesenberg) L FCA without Wojciechowski (suspended). Round 17 8 November 1998 14:30 Lausanne-Sport 2–1 FCA summary Aarau (Alexandrov) 64 ogGerber 70 2:1Hänzi PantelićCelestini 67 1:1 Alexandrov Skrzypczak Markovic Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne 5,250 SUI Massimo Busacca (Monte Carasso/Bellinzona) L Round 18 15 November 1998 14:30 Aarau 1–1 FCA summary Young Boys Bader 17 1:0Skrzypczak 34 1:1 Kehrli Fryand Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 1,800 SUI Philippe Leuba (Chexbres) D Round 19 22 November 1998 14:30 Lugano 0–2 FCA summary Aarau Hürzeler Ncube Rota 62 0:1 Pavličević90+5 og (Giannini) Previtali Cornaredo, Lugano 2,380 SUI René Rogalla (Wallisellen) W Round 20 29 November 1998 14:30 Aarau 2–2 FCA summary Sion Ivanov 17 pen.Ivanov 75 pen. 2:0Pavličević 78 pen. Tholot79 2:2 Tholot Duruz Eydelie Nichetti La Placa Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 1,500 SUI Marcel Vollenweider (Rüti, Zürich) D Round 21 6 December 1998 14:30 Aarau 0–0 FCA summary Luzern Markovic Joller Brunner Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,400 SUI Nicolas Daina D Round 22 13 December 1998 14:30 Zürich 1–0 FCZ summaryFCA summary Aarau Huber 27Bamba 90+2 1:0 39 Pavlicevic57 Ivanov Letzigrund, Zürich 3,200 SUI Roberto Ferrari L Qualification table main WDL First stage 5 Q SER Servette Daniel Reichmuth 2025 https://super-servette.ch/Doku/Resultate_Servette_1998-99.pdf Servette Rangliste 1998/99 Servette ranking 1998/99 super-servette-ch fr 2025-11-16 GCZ Grasshopper Club ZÜR Zürich (red) dbFCZ 2025 https://www.dbfcz.ch/saison.php?saison_id=8 FCZ Saison 1998/99 de-ch FCZ season 1998/99 dbFCZ 2025-11-16 LS Lausanne-Sport NX Xamax BAS Basel Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" 2025 https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/rangliste?saison=1998/99 FCB Rangliste 1998/99 de-ch FCB Ranking 1998/99 Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" 2025-11-16 LUC Luzern STG St. Gallen SIO Sion LUG Lugano YB Young Boys (red) BSC Young Boys AG 2025 https://www.bscyb.ch/archiv-1998-99 YB Saison 1998/99 YB season 1998/99 BSC Young Boys AG de-ch 2025-11-16 AAR Aarau Stephan Beck 2025 https://www.arowa.ch/index.php?page=ligatabelle&saison=99 Schweizer Meisterschaft 1998/99 FCA Rangliste de-ch Swiss Championship 1998/99 FCA Ranking arowa.ch 2025-11-16 12 8 2 38 24 11 5 6 37 25 10 8 4 33 21 10 8 4 36 33 7 11 4 30 23 8 4 10 21 34 6 9 7 26 25 7 6 9 31 31 5 8 9 22 36 5 7 10 35 43 4 7 11 33 34 3 7 12 28 41 yes green3 Advance to championship roundhalved points (rounded up) as bonus CP CP CP CP CP CP CP CP red3 Continue to promotion/relegation round RP RP RP RP 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. complete rsssf.com Promotion/relegation NLA/NLB 1998–99 Nationalliga A#Promotion/relegation group NLA/NLB The teams in the ninth to twelfth positions in Nationalliga A competed with the top four teams of Nationalliga B in a Nationalliga A/B promotion/relegation round. This phase began on 28 February 1999 and was completed on 2 June. Round 1 22 February 1999 14:30 Yverdon-Sports 2–1 FCA summary Aarau Bencivenga 43 1:1Enilton 70 2:1Peço 13 0:1 Esposito Markovic Stade Municipal, Yverdon 1,420 SUI Andreas Schluchter (Schönenbuch) L Round 2 7 March 1998 14:30 Aarau 0–1 FCA summary Lugano 62 0:1 Rossi Fernandez Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,300 SUI Marcel Vollenweider (Rüti, Zürich) L Round 3 14 March 1998 14:30 Sion 1–1 FCA summary Aarau Tholot 79 1:1Duruz Biaggi Gigantelli Moret Delgado 64 0:1 Wojciechowski Heldmann Christ Stade Tourbillon, Sion 4,500 SUI Carlo Bertolini (Vira-Gambarogno) D Round 4 21 March 1999 14:30 Aarau 3–1 FCA summary Wil Heldmann 26 1:0Ivanov 38 2:0Alexandrov 74 3:1Page Ivanov 50 2:1 Fabinho Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 1,500 SUI René Rogalla (Wallisellen) W Round 5 5 April 1999 14:30 Aarau 1–3 FCA summary Delémont Alexandrov 2 79Esposito 83 1:3Bader 26 0:1 Froidevaux35 0:2 Kébé57 0:3 Jinani Romano Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 3,700 SUI Claude Detruche (Thônex) L FCA with new head-coach Jochen Dries on the bench. Round 6 11 April 1999 17:30 Étoile Carouge 3–1 FCA summary Aarau Costantino 12 1:0Mordeku 28 penCostantino 54 3:0Péneveyre 64 3:1 Heldmann Heldmann Stade de la Fontenette, Carouge 790 LIE Roland Beck (Triesenberg) L Round 7 17 April 1999 19:30 Aarau 1–1 FCA summary Young Boys Alexandrov 68 1:1Christ Page Prince Polley Bader 37 0:1 Sawu2 90+2 Lengen Eich Smajić Udovič Pintul Del Degan Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 3,200 SUI Nicolas Daina D Round 8 24 April 1999 19:30 Young Boys 4–1 FCA summary Aarau Mazzarelli 16 1:0Sawu 41 2:1Mazzarelli 61 penSmajic 80 4:1Mazzarelli Fryand J. Studer 27 1:1 Prince Polley2 62 Wiederkehr Page Bader Wankdorf Stadium, Bern 4,550 SUI Dieter Schoch (Attiswil) L Round 9 1 May 1999 19:30 Aarau 3–1 FCA summary Étoile Carouge Esposito 12 1:1Prince Polley 51 2:1Sabry 76 3:1 10 0:1 Vercruysse Baumann Vercruysse Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 1,800 SUI Markus Nobs (Wohlen bei Bern) W Round 10 9 May 1999 14:30 Delémont 2–1 FCA summary Aarau Ndlovu 15 1:1Hoy 34 2:1Hoy 2 90+1Froidevaux 6 0:1 Prince Polley Skrzypczak Pavličević Prince Polley Bader La Blancherie, Delémont 2,620 SUI Roberto Ferrari L Round 11 16 May 1999 14:30 Wil 2–3 FCA summary Aarau Šlekys 61 1:1Fabinho 66 2:2Rutz Fuchs Paradiso Rizzo 24 0:1 Wojciechowski62 1:2 Ivanov0 70 Wojciechowski90+2 og 2:3 (de Mello Moreira) Studer Pavličević Christ Stadion Bergholz, Wil 1,600 SUI Carlo Bertolini (Vira-Gambarogno) W Round 12 22 May 1999 17:30 Aarau 4–1 FCA summary Sion Prince Polley 18 1:0Sabry 20 pen. 2:0Bader 45 3:1Esposito 90+2 4:1Prince Polley 26 2:1 Bancarel2 41 Duruz Tum Biaggi La Placa Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,100 LIE Roland Beck (Triesenberg) W Round 13 29 May 1999 17:30 Lugano 1–2 FCA summary Aarau Nkufo 36 1:1Taborda 10 0:1 Ivanov66 1:2 Alexandrov Pavličević Heldmann Cornaredo, Lugano 1,600 SUI Nicolas Daina W Round 14 5 June 1999 17:30 Aarau 2–1 FCA summary Yverdon-Sports Ivanov 56 1:0Ivanov 60 2:1Studer 2 64 57 1:1 Fonseca Magnin Diogo Enílton Jenny Stadion Brügglifeld, Aarau 2,800 SUI Andreas Schluchter (Schönenbuch) W Final table main WDL Relegation group Q 5 LUG Lugano DEL Delémont YVE Yverdon-Sport AAR Aarau SIO Sion YB Young Boys WIL Wil ÉTO Étoile Carouge 9 2 3 19 10 7 2 5 23 20 6 3 5 22 17 6 2 6 24 24 6 1 7 16 17 5 2 7 25 31 5 1 8 26 30 4 3 7 18 24 yes green1 Promoted to NLA P P yellow3 Remain in NLA RA RA yellow3 Remain in NLB RB RB red1 Relegated to NLB R R 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Draw. complete RSSSF Swiss Cup 1998–99 Swiss Cup The 12 first-tier clubs from the 1998–99 Nationalliga A had been granted byes for the first four rounds and they joined the competition in the fifth 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. Round 5 21 February 1999 Wil P–P FCA summary Aarau Stadion Bergholz, Wil P Round 5 18 March 1999 Wil 3–0 FCA summary Aarau Fabinho Amoah 90 2:0Amoah 90+2 3:0 Stadion Bergholz, Wil 1,250 SUI Markus Nobs (Wohlen bei Bern) L Lausanne-Sport won the cup and this was their 9th cup title to this date and their second in a row. References Sources Switzerland 1998–99 at RSSSF FCA squad 1998–99 at arowa.ch FC Aarauseasons 1997–98 1999–2000 Category:FC Aarau seasons Aarau