The 1970–71 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 77th season in their existence. It was their 25th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium.
Overview
For the sixth consecutive season Helmut Benthaus was player-manager. 14 teams contested in the 1970–71 Nationalliga A. Basel finished the regular season level on points with Grasshopper Club Zürich and so they contested a play-off game on 8 June 1971 to decide the title winners. Grasshopper won the play-off 4–3 after extra time. Basel won 18 of their 26 league games, drawing six, losing just twice, they scored 67 goals conceding 26.Walter Balmer was the team's top goal scorer with 13 league goals and Karl Odermatt second top scorer with 12 league goals. Peter Wenger scored 10, Helmut Hauser managed 9 and Jürgen Sundermann scored 8 league goals. On 1 November 1969 Basel started in the Swiss Cup in the round of 32 with a 5–1 home win against CS Chênois. In the round of 16 played on 29 November Basel had a home match against Bellinzona which was won 2–0. In the quarter-final, played on 28 February 1971, Basel had an away tie against Mendrisiostar. However, this was lost 0–2 after extra time. In the European Cup Basel were drawn against Spartak Moscow. The first leg, which was played on 16 September 1970away from home, was lost 2–3 with Odermatt and Benthaus scoring for the guests during the last 12 minutes, after they had gone three down with just a quarter of an hour left to play. In the second leg played in the St. Jakob Stadium Basel won 2–1, the goals being scored by Siegenthaler und Walter Balmer. Thus the tie ended 4–4 on aggregate. Basel won on away goals and advanced to the second round. Here they were drawn against Ajax, first away from home, but they suffered a 0–3 defeat. The second leg at home also ended with a defeat, 1–2, despite the fact that Odermatt put Basel one up with a penalty after 36 minutes. In the 1970 Cup of the Alps Basel were in the Swiss Group together withLugano, Young Boys and Zürich. They played against each of the four Italian teams Fiorentina, Lazio, Sampdoria and Bari. Basel won the Swiss group and in the final they faced and beat Fiorentina 3–2.
Players
Results
;Legend
Friendly matches
Pre-season
Winter break
Nationalliga
League matches
League table
;Championship play-off
Swiss Cup
European Cup
;First round Spartak Moscow 4–4 Basel on aggregate. Basel won on away goals. ;Second round Ajax won 5–1 on aggregate.
