Grasshoppers qualify for the final round of the Intertoto Cup AND Transfer Updates

The posts have gradually gone down. Swiss Football is quite sleepy at the moment. Grasshoppers has been the first to inaugurate the new season while the other clubs are strengthening their line-ups to start the new season in the best possible way!

Grasshoppers qualify for the final round of the Intertoto Cup
Swiss side Grasshoppers Zurich have secured their last round spot by defeating Albanian minnows KS Besa 3-0, a total 5-1 score over two legs. Grasshoppers was irresistible in a second half that ended the Albanian hopes: Serbian striker Samel Sabanovic scored twice (at the 56th and 68th minute) and young talent Steven Zuber scored a 3rd goal in the final minutes of the game. To obtain a UEFA Cup ticket, Grasshoppers will have to overcome the Bulgarian threat PFC Chernomorets Burgas.

Transfer Update
French winger Olivier Monterrubio has joined Super League side FC Sion. The 3-time-in-a-row best assist-man of the French Ligue 1 is this summer’s biggest transfer! Despite not having ever played for the French national team, Monterrubio has proven to be one of the best players of the Ligue 1 in these past years although his talent was not enough to prevent Lens’ relegation. He played with Alexander Frei in Rennes.
Hakan Yakin will leave Young Boys for Qatar side Al Gharafa. Last year’s top-scorer and assist-man will wear number 15 and Ottmar Hitzfeld has confirmed that despite the transfer Yakin will still be a Nati player.
Newcastle United is very close to Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler who currently plays at Udinese Calcio while Valon Behrami might move from Lazio to Werder Bremen.

Friendlies and miscellaneous news
The Swiss teams have had an early start to their season with some very interesting friendlies. The results have been astonishing in some cases!
FC Basel won the Uhren Cup in Granges that also included Borussia Dortmund, FC Luzern and Legia Warsaw. The final 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund was sufficient to win the cup! New player Gjasula scored one of the two goals.
Young Boys will meet Wolfsburg in the final of the OBI Cup. The Bernese team destroyed Brasilian Botafogo with a 6-0 score (Haeberli, Eudis x2, Seydou Doumbia, Frimpong x2). The other team is Vitoria Guimaraes.
FC Sion defeated Everton with a goal by Crettenand. With 4 wins (Everton, Yverdon, Servette, Le Mont) and two draws (NE Xamax, Rapid Bucarest), Sion has had a positive start to the season.
Neuchatel Xamax lost to Olympique Marseille, the goal scorers were Cissé and Cana.
FC Vaduz were defeated 5-2 by the Polish side Belchatow in a game that starred their new signing Miguel Angel Mea Vitali, the Venezuelan experienced defender.
Daniel Tarone scored the final goal in Aarau’s draw against the Germans of VFL Wolfsburg while Zurich defeated Aston Villa 2-1 courtesy of two penalties scored by Abdi. Aston Villa’s temporary draw had been scored by Agbonlahor.

FC Basel has two new players: Under-19 Swiss International Daniel Unal (who recently enjoyed a loan at AS Roma) and Argentinian defender David Angel Abraham from Gimnastic Tarragona. The latter was crowned World Champion with the U-20 Argentinian team.