FC Basel have sacked head coach Stephan Lichtsteiner. The club acted after seven matches in the Super League and two consecutive home defeats, with Luigi Nocentini taking interim charge of the squad.
Otele facing a fresh audition
Nigeria international Philip Otele featured in eight matches under Lichtsteiner this season. The winger now has to prove himself again under the new interim coach. Basel sit 5th in the table on 10 points from 7 games, eight points behind leaders FC Lugano, as the current standings show. Basel's last outing ended in a 1-3 home loss to Lugano on 6 September 2026, after a 1-2 defeat to Sion in the previous home game, the two results that ultimately cost Lichtsteiner his job.
Onyemaechi also facing change
A Nigerian thread ran through events in Greece too. Olympiacos parted ways on Wednesday with José Luis Mendilibar, the 65-year-old Spaniard who spent two years in charge of the club and led it to Europa Conference League glory in 2024. Mendilibar's contract had been due to run until next year, but Olympiacos picked up only seven points from their opening three league matches and were also eliminated from Champions League qualifying by NEC Nijmegen, losing the tie 2-1 on aggregate.
Bruno Onyemaechi, another Nigeria international, made 44 appearances in all competitions under Mendilibar and was directly involved in two goals. Premium Times Sports described the double coaching change as a fresh challenge for both national team players.
Next up, St. Gallen
Basel go into their next match without a win in two, with a record of one win, one draw and three defeats across their last five games. Having scored 12 and conceded 12 goals this season, the attack faces scrutiny ahead of Nocentini's first assignment, details available in the stats section. Basel host fourth-placed FC St. Gallen at home on 20 September 2026, a fixture listed in the club's fixtures calendar.
