# 1987–88 Nationalliga A

Statistics of the Swiss National League in the 1987–88 football season, both Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B.

## Overview

There had been modifications to the Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) in advance of this season and the format of the Swiss Football League (Nationalliga) was changed accordingly. Until last season, there had been 32 member clubs in the association, divided into two tiers of 16 teams each. Now the number of clubs had now been increased to 36. As of this season there were 12 teams in the top-tier, the Nationalliga A (NLA). There were 24 teams in the second-tier, Nationalliga B (NLB), and these were divided into two groups, a West and an East group.
The season was divided into two stages. In the first stage, the qualification phase, each team in each group played a double round-robin to decide their table positions. The top eight teams from the qualification phase of the NLA would advance to the championship group. The last four teams would play against relegation, this against the top six teams in each group of the NLB who were also qualified to play in two promotion/relegation groups.
Therefore, in the second stage the divisions were divided again. The top eight teams from the NLA qualification competed a double round-robin in the championship group to decide championship and over the qualification slots to next season's UEFA European competitions. The bottom four teams from the NLA qualification and the top six teams from both of the NLB qualification groups were drawn into two promotion/relegation groups (NLA/NLB). The top two teams in each of these groups would play the following season in the NLA, the others would contest in the NLB. There were also two relegation groups (NLB/1. Liga), each group with six teams. The last team in each NLB relegation group was to be relegated directly to the 1. Liga and the two fifth placed teams from each group played a play-out against relegation to decide the third relegation slot.

## Nationalliga A
### Qualification phase

The qualification stage of the NLA began on 8 August 1987 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.

#### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Xamax | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 53 | 28 | +25 | 44 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 2 | Grasshopper Club | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 16 | +14 | 42 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 3 | Young Boys | 22 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 37 | 28 | +9 | 33 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 4 | Aarau | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 34 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 5 | St. Gallen | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 28 | 27 | +1 | 32 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 6 | Luzern | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 30 | 29 | +1 | 30 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 7 | Servette | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 32 | 31 | +1 | 31 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 8 | Lausanne-Sport | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 31 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 9 | Sion | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 42 | 36 | +6 | 30 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 10 | Bellinzona | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 38 | −13 | 17 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 11 | Basel | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 27 | 55 | −28 | 17 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 12 | Zürich | 22 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 26 | 46 | −20 | 15 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AAR | BAS | BEL | GCZ | LS | NX | LUZ | SER | SIO | STG | YB | ZÜR |
| Aarau | | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Basel | 0–1 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 5–4 |
| Bellinzona | 2–2 | 2–2 | | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Grasshopper Club | 2–1 | 5–1 | 3–0 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Lausanne-Sport | 4–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–4 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Xamax | 1–1 | 9–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–2 |
| Luzern | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Servette | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Sion | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| St. Gallen | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | | 2–0 | 4–1 |
| Young Boys | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | | 1–1 |
| Zürich | 2–0 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | |

### Championship group

The first eight teams from 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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | BP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Xamax | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 19 | +10 | 16 | 32 | Swiss champions, qualified for 1988–89 European Cup |
| 2 | Servette | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 38 | 23 | +15 | 12 | 30 | Qualified for 1988–89 UEFA Cup |
| 3 | Aarau | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 13 | 30 | Qualified for 1988–89 UEFA Cup and entered 1988 Intertoto Cup |
| 4 | Grasshopper Club | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 15 | 30 | Swiss Cup winners, qualified for 1988–89 Cup Winners' Cup and entered 1988 Intertoto Cup |
| 5 | Luzern | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 27 | Entered 1989 Intertoto Cup |
| 6 | St. Gallen | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 25 | −9 | 12 | 23 | |
| 7 | Lausanne-Sport | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 30 | −12 | 12 | 23 | |
| 8 | Young Boys | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 31 | −13 | 13 | 22 | Entered 1989 Intertoto Cup |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AAR | GCZ | LS | LUZ | NX | SER | STG | YB |
| Aarau | | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Grasshopper Club | 2–1 | | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 3–0 |
| Lausanne-Sport | 0–0 | 1–2 | | 4–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 |
| Luzern | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Xamax | 2–0 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 1–1 | | 2–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| Servette | 1–5 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–3 | | 4–1 | 6–0 |
| St. Gallen | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | | 2–1 |
| Young Boys | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–5 | 5–1 | |

## Nationalliga B
### Qualification phase

The qualification of the NLB began on 5 August 1987 and was completed by 13 December. The top six teams in each group were qualified to play in the two promotion/relegation groups. The bottom six teams in each group then played in newly drawn groups against relegation. Three teams were to be relegated.

#### Table group East

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Lugano | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 74 | 28 | +46 | 51 | Advance to promotion round |
| 2 | FC Wettingen | 22 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 53 | 16 | +37 | 48 | Advance to promotion round |
| 3 | FC Locarno | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 47 | 29 | +18 | 47 | Advance to promotion round |
| 4 | FC Schaffhausen | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 48 | 31 | +17 | 38 | Advance to promotion round |
| 5 | FC Chiasso | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 34 | 28 | +6 | 37 | Advance to promotion round |
| 6 | BSC Old Boys | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 33 | Advance to promotion round |
| 7 | SC Zug | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 40 | −8 | 28 | Continue in relegation round |
| 8 | FC Winterthur | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 28 | 44 | −16 | 26 | Continue in relegation round |
| 9 | FC Chur | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 27 | 39 | −12 | 21 | Continue in relegation round |
| 10 | FC Olten | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 24 | 52 | −28 | 14 | Continue in relegation round |
| 11 | FC Solothurn | 22 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 26 | 56 | −30 | 13 | Continue in relegation round |
| 12 | FC Baden | 22 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 23 | 52 | −29 | 12 | Continue in relegation round |

#### Table group West

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Etoile Carouge FC | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 54 | 34 | +20 | 44 | Advance to promotion round |
| 2 | FC Grenchen | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 56 | 25 | +31 | 41 | Advance to promotion round |
| 3 | FC Bulle | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 43 | 29 | +14 | 42 | Advance to promotion round |
| 4 | CS Chênois | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 45 | 29 | +16 | 39 | Advance to promotion round |
| 5 | ES FC Malley | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 50 | 35 | +15 | 38 | Advance to promotion round |
| 6 | FC Martigny-Sports | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 31 | −2 | 32 | Advance to promotion round |
| 7 | Yverdon-Sport FC | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 36 | 43 | −7 | 34 | Continue in relegation round |
| 8 | FC Biel-Bienne | 22 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 38 | 48 | −10 | 24 | Continue in relegation round |
| 9 | Vevey Sports | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 34 | 53 | −19 | 22 | Continue in relegation round |
| 10 | FC Renens | 22 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 34 | 47 | −13 | 18 | Continue in relegation round |
| 11 | FC Montreux-Sports | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 27 | 49 | −22 | 17 | Continue in relegation round |
| 12 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 24 | 47 | −23 | 16 | Continue in relegation round |

### Promotion/relegation round

The promotion/relegation stage began on 5 March 1988 and was completed by 23 May.

#### Table group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Wettingen | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 16 | +16 | 22 | Promotion to Nationalliga A 1988–89 |
| 2 | Bellinzona | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 20 | +9 | 17 | Remain in Nationalliga A 1988–89 |
| 3 | FC Schaffhausen | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 25 | 22 | +3 | 15 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 4 | ES Malley | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 20 | +1 | 15 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 5 | Basel | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 20 | +7 | 14 | Relegation to Nationalliga B1988–89 |
| 6 | Bulle | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 | 25 | +3 | 14 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 7 | Etoile Carouge | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 33 | −19 | 9 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 8 | Old Boys | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 31 | −20 | 6 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | BAS | BEL | BUL | ÉTO | MAL | OBB | SHA | WET |
| Basel | | 0–2 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| Bellinzona | 4–1 | | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Bulle | 0–2 | 1–0 | | 5–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–4 | 0–3 |
| Étoile Carouge | 0–6 | 3–1 | 0–3 | | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 |
| Malley | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | | 4–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
| Old Boys Basel | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 2–1 | 0–4 |
| Schaffhausen | 0–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | | 1–2 |
| Wettingen | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | |

#### Table group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Lugano | 14 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 47 | 15 | +32 | 26 | Promotion to Nationalliga A 1988–89 |
| 2 | Sion | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 49 | 14 | +35 | 23 | Remain in Nationalliga A 1988–89 |
| 3 | Grenchen | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 24 | +3 | 15 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 4 | Chênois | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 30 | −9 | 14 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 5 | Chiasso | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 34 | −13 | 11 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 6 | Zürich | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 24 | 34 | −10 | 9 | Relegation to Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 7 | Martigny-Sports | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 37 | −21 | 8 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |
| 8 | Locarno | 14 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 33 | −17 | 6 | Remain in Nationalliga B 1988–89 |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | CHÊ | CHI | GRE | LOC | LUG | MAR | SIO | ZÜR |
| Chênois | | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 3–2 |
| Chiasso | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 5–3 |
| Grenchen | 4–1 | 2–0 | | 3–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 |
| Locarno | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | | 3–4 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
| Lugano | 5–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 5–2 | | 6–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
| Martigny-Sports | 1–2 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–4 | | 0–3 | 4–1 |
| Sion | 1–1 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 6–1 | 3–0 | 8–0 | | 6–1 |
| Zürich | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | |

### Relegation round NLB/1. Liga

The last six teams in each of the two qualification phase groups competed in two relegation groups against relegation to the 1. Liga 1988–89. There was to be one direct relegation in each group, plus a play-out against relegation between both second last placed teams. This stage began on 19 March 1988 and was completed on 24 May.

#### Table group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 15 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 2 | SC Zug | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 10 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 3 | FC Biel-Bienne | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 10 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 4 | FC Chur | 10 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 9 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 5 | FC Renens | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 8 | Play-out against relegation |
| 6 | FC Solothurn | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 8 | Relegated to 1989–90 1. Liga |

#### Table group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Yverdon-Sport FC | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 12 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 2 | FC Winterthur | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 10 | +4 | 11 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 3 | FC Baden | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 10 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 4 | FC Montreux-Sports | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 10 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 5 | Vevey Sports | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 13 | −1 | 9 | Play-out against relegation |
| 6 | FC Olten | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 23 | −11 | 8 | Relegated to 1989–90 1. Liga |

#### Decider against relegation

The decider was played on in .
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Renens | 1–1 | Vevey Sports |
| Vevey Sports | 1–3 | FC Renens |
FC Renens won 4–2 on aggregate and remain in the division. Vevey Sports are relegated to 2. Liga Interregional.

## Further in Swiss football

* 1987–88 Swiss Cup
* 1987–88 Swiss 1. Liga