The 1998–99 season was FC Zürich's 102nd season in their existence, since their foundation in 1896. It was their ninth consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football, following their promotion at the end of 1989–90 season.
Overview The local businessman Sven Hotz was the club's chairman and patron at this time. He had taken over as club president at the AGM in 1986. Raimondo Ponte had been the FCZ first team head-coach during the previous three and a quarter seasons and he had prolonged his contract with the club for this season. The FCZ first team competed in this years domestic first-tier 1998–99 Nationalliga A with the clear intention of retaining their top level status and reaching the championship group for the second half of the season. The team also competed in 1998–99 Swiss Cup. FCZ had as qualified for the 1998–99 UEFA Cup and here they started in the UEFA Cup qualifying round. They did not enter the 1998 Intertoto Cup. Their aim this season was to reach the top three of the league and challenge for the championship title and to win the domestic cup competition and thus qualify for one of the UEFA European tournaments.
FCZ played their home games in the Letzigrund, a stadium also used by the athletics club . The stadium originally opened in 1925, was partially rebuilt in 1973 and modernised during the previous two seasons. The stadium is located in the west of Zurich in the district of Altstetten, which is about three kilometers from the city center.
At the end of the league season FCZ found themselves in the unloved fourth position in the table and so they had failed to reach third place which was the qualification slot for the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup qualifying round. One week later the Swiss Cup final took place and Lausanne-Sport won the trophy by beating Grasshopper Club. Therefore, Lausanne qualified directly to the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup first round as Cup winners. As Lausanne were in third position in the final league table, the UEFA Cup qualifying round slot was passed down to the next placed team, thus FCZ profited and qualified.
Players The following is the list of the FCZ first team squad this season. It also includes players that were in the squad the day the domestic league season started, on 5 July 1997, but subsequently left the club after that date.
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.
Results Legend
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.
Qualification table
Championship round The first eight teams of the qualification phase competed in the Championship round. The teams took half of the points (rounded up to complete units) gained in the qualification as bonus with them.
Final league table
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.
UEFA Cup
Second qualifying round
Zürich won 6–3 on aggregate.
First round
Zürich won 7–2 on aggregate.
Second round
Zürich won 5–3 on aggregate.
Third round
Roma won 3–2 on aggregate.
Friendly matches Pre-season
Winter break
References
Sources dbFCZ Homepage Switzerland 1997–98 at RSSSF