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Basel appoint Koller after Champions League exit

AFP/The Local
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
Basel appoint Koller after Champions League exit
New FC Basel 1893 coach Marcel Koller. Herbert Neubauer/APA/AFP.

Basel have appointed a new manager after their shock failure to qualify for next season's Champions League.

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Basel reacted to their shock elimination from Champions League qualifying by naming ex-Austria coach Marcel Koller as their new manager on Thursday August 2nd.

✍? | We’re happy to announce, that Marcel Koller will be our new head coach! The 57-year-old Swiss signs a two-year contract at FC Basel. He will be assisted by Thomas Janeschitz and Carlos Bernegger. #FCBasel1893 #zämmestark pic.twitter.com/qisxQO5UKP

— FC Basel 1893 EN (@FC_Basel_en) August 2, 2018

The 57-year-old Swiss national, who will be assisted by Thomas Janeschitz and Carlos Bernegger, takes the reins just a day after Basel suffered a 3-0 home defeat by PAOK to go out 5-1 on aggregate in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

Basel will now face Dutch side Vitesse Arnheim in the third qualification round of the Europa League.

FC Basel will face @MijnVitesse in the 3rd qualification round of the @EuropaLeague next Thursday. The first leg will be played in Arnhem. #FCBasel1893 #zämmestark #UEL pic.twitter.com/lgG2ABI8R3

— FC Basel 1893 EN (@FC_Basel_en) August 2, 2018

Koller was Austria's head coach from November 2011 to October 2017, leading them from 72nd in the FIFA standings into the top 10 and Euro 2016 in France. But the team failed to qualify for this year's World Cup in Russia.

He has also led Saint-Gallen (1999/2000) and Grasshopper (2002/3) in the Swiss league, as well as FC Cologne and VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga.

READ MORE: Newcastle United sign Swiss defender Fabian Schaer

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