# 1988–89 Nationalliga A

Statistics of the Swiss National League in the 1988–89 football season, both Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B.

## Overview

The 36 clubs of the Swiss Football League (Nationalliga) were divided into two tiers. In the top-tier, there were 12 teams that played in the Nationalliga A (NLA). There were 24 teams in the Nationalliga B (NLB), the second tier, these were divided into two groups, a West and an East group. Each team in each group played a double round-robin in the qualification phase. Thereafter the divisions were divided into a Swiss championship group with the top eight teams from the qualification and two promotion/relegation groups (NLA/NLB), both with eight teams. These were the bottom four teams from the NLA qualification and the top six teams from both of the NLB qualification groups. Further, there were two relegation groups (NLB/1. Liga), each group with six teams. The last team in each NLB relegation group were to be relegated directly and the two fifth placed teams in 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 23 July 1988 and was completed on 11 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 | Luzern | 22 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 25 | +2 | 28 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 2 | Grasshopper Club | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 41 | 29 | +12 | 27 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 3 | Bellinzona | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 25 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 4 | Sion | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 25 | 21 | +4 | 24 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 5 | Wettingen | 22 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 24 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 6 | Young Boys | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 23 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 7 | Xamax | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 39 | 33 | +6 | 23 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 8 | Servette | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 22 | Advance to championship round halved points (rounded up) as bonus |
| 9 | Aarau | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 27 | 29 | −2 | 18 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 10 | Lausanne-Sport | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 27 | 34 | −7 | 18 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 11 | St. Gallen | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 29 | 44 | −15 | 16 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |
| 12 | Lugano | 22 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 23 | 46 | −23 | 16 | Continue to promotion/relegation round |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AAR | BEL | GCZ | LS | LUG | LUZ | NX | SER | SIO | STG | WET | YB |
| Aarau | | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 |
| Bellinzona | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| Grasshopper | 1–0 | 2–2 | | 3–2 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Lausanne-Sport | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | | 4–0 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| Lugano | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | | 3–3 | 1–0 | 1–6 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Luzern | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 0–0 | | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–5 |
| Servette | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 0–1 | 7–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| Sion | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| St. Gallen | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Wettingen | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 |
| Young Boys | 4–0 | 4–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | |

### Championship group

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

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | BP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Luzern | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 14 | 33 | Swiss champions, qualified for 1989–90 European Cup and entered 1989 Intertoto Cup |
| 2 | Grasshopper Club | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 18 | +2 | 14 | 30 | Swiss Cup winners, qualified for 1989–90 Cup Winners' Cup and entered 1989 Intertoto Cup |
| 3 | Sion | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 15 | +7 | 12 | 29 | Qualified for 1989–90 UEFA Cup |
| 4 | Wettingen | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 14 | +8 | 12 | 28 | Qualified for 1989–90 UEFA Cup and entered 1989 Intertoto Cup |
| 5 | Young Boys | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 12 | 27 | |
| 6 | Xamax | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 26 | −3 | 12 | 23 | |
| 7 | Bellinzona | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 26 | −17 | 13 | 21 | Entered 1989 Intertoto Cup |
| 8 | Servette | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 42 | −17 | 11 | 21 | |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | BEL | GCZ | LUZ | NX | SER | SIO | WET | YB |
| Bellinzona | | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–5 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 |
| Grasshopper | 2–0 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 6–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 |
| Luzern | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 |
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 6–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 |
| Servette | 4–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| Sion | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | | 2–1 | 3–0 |
| Wettingen | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 6–2 | 0–2 | | 3–1 |
| Young Boys | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 7–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | |

## Nationalliga B
### Qualification phase

The qualification of the NLB began on 23 July 1988 and was completed by 11 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.

#### Table group East

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Basel | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 48 | 23 | +25 | 32 | Advance to promotion round |
| 2 | Locarno | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 58 | 28 | +30 | 30 | Advance to promotion round |
| 3 | Zürich | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 62 | 32 | +30 | 30 | Advance to promotion round |
| 4 | Baden | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 44 | 29 | +15 | 24 | Advance to promotion round |
| 5 | Old Boys | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 37 | 29 | +8 | 24 | Advance to promotion round |
| 6 | Chiasso | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 35 | 33 | +2 | 24 | Advance to promotion round |
| 7 | FC Schaffhausen | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 32 | 36 | −4 | 24 | Continue in relegation round |
| 8 | Winterthur | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 22 | Continue in relegation round |
| 9 | Emmenbrücke | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 41 | −10 | 19 | Continue in relegation round |
| 10 | Chur | 22 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 27 | 54 | −27 | 16 | Continue in relegation round |
| 11 | SC Zug | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 47 | −33 | 11 | Continue in relegation round |
| 12 | FC Glarus | 22 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 19 | 58 | −39 | 8 | Continue in relegation round |

#### Table group West

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Yverdon-Sport FC | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 51 | 25 | +26 | 33 | Advance to promotion round |
| 2 | FC Grenchen | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 51 | 23 | +28 | 30 | Advance to promotion round |
| 3 | Etoile Carouge FC | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 28 | Advance to promotion round |
| 4 | ES FC Malley | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 27 | Advance to promotion round |
| 5 | FC Bulle | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 49 | 25 | +24 | 26 | Advance to promotion round |
| 6 | CS Chênois | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 25 | Advance to promotion round |
| 7 | Urania Genève Sport | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 21 | Continue in relegation round |
| 8 | FC Renens | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 28 | 36 | −8 | 19 | Continue in relegation round |
| 9 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 26 | 37 | −11 | 18 | Continue in relegation round |
| 10 | FC Martigny-Sports | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 29 | 48 | −19 | 16 | Continue in relegation round |
| 11 | FC Montreux-Sports | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 31 | 61 | −30 | 11 | Continue in relegation round |
| 12 | FC Biel-Bienne | 22 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 30 | 69 | −39 | 10 | Continue in relegation round |

### Promotion/relegation round NLA/NLB

The promotion/relegation stage began on 18 March 1989 and was completed by 7 June.

#### Table group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | FC St. Gallen | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 30 | 13 | +17 | 23 | Remain in Nationalliga A 1989–90 |
| 2 | Lausanne Sports | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 42 | 8 | +34 | 22 | Remain in Nationalliga A 1989–90 |
| 3 | FC Zürich | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 29 | 23 | +6 | 14 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 4 | FC Basel | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 14 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 5 | CS Chênois | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 29 | −7 | 12 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 6 | FC Grenchen | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 26 | −9 | 10 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 7 | ES Malley | 14 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 29 | −14 | 10 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 8 | BSC Old Boys Basel | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 13 | 38 | −25 | 7 | Remain in Nationalliga B |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | BAS | CHÊ | GRE | LS | MAL | OBB | STG | ZÜR |
| Basel | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| Chênois | 2–2 | | 3–3 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 |
| Grenchen | 2–2 | 0–0 | | 0–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Lausanne-Sport | 4–1 | 6–1 | 5–0 | | 1–1 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 6–1 |
| Malley | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 |
| Old Boys Basel | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 3–1 | | 0–2 | 1–6 |
| St. Gallen | 3–0 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | | 2–1 |
| Zürich | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 9–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | |

#### Table group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | AC Lugano | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 10 | +19 | 23 | Remain in Nationalliga A 1989–90 |
| 2 | FC Aarau | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 9 | +15 | 23 | Remain in Nationalliga A 1989–90 |
| 3 | FC Locarno | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 16 | +6 | 15 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 4 | FC Baden | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 24 | −2 | 15 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 5 | Yverdon-Sport FC | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 14 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 6 | FC Bulle | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 28 | −9 | 9 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 7 | FC Chiasso | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 30 | −15 | 7 | Remain in Nationalliga B |
| 8 | Étoile Carouge FC | 14 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 22 | −14 | 6 | Remain in Nationalliga B |

#### Results

| Home \ Away | AAR | BAD | BUL | CHI | ÉTO | LOC | LUG | YS |
| Aarau | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Baden | 0–3 | | 4–1 | 5–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 |
| Bulle | 1–2 | 2–0 | | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 |
| Chiasso | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–3 | | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Étoile Carouge | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 1–5 | 0–1 |
| Locarno | 0–2 | 6–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Lugano | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 2–0 |
| Yverdon-Sport | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | |

### 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 1991–92. 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 23 March and was completed on 27 May.

#### Table group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | FC Schaffhausen | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 13 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 2 | SC Zug | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 13 | +7 | 11 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 3 | FC Martigny-Sports | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 11 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 4 | FC Emmenbrücke | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 18 | +5 | 10 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 5 | FC Biel-Bienne | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 18 | −2 | 8 | Play-out against relegation |
| 6 | FC Renens | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 21 | −9 | 7 | Relegated to 1989–90 1. Liga |

#### Table group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | FC Glarus | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 15 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 2 | FC Winterthur | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 11 | +8 | 12 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 3 | FC Montreux-Sports | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 11 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 4 | FC La Chaux-de-Fonds | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 | −2 | 9 | Remain in NLB 1989–90 |
| 5 | FC Chur | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 16 | −3 | 7 | Play-out against relegation |
| 6 | Urania Genève Sport | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 18 | −9 | 6 | Relegated to 1989–90 1. Liga |

#### Relegation play-out

The two games of the two-legged play-out against relegation between both second last placed teams were played on 3 and 10 June 1989.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| FC Biel-Bienne | 0–1 | FC Chur |
| FC Chur | 2–1 | FC Biel-Bienne |
FC Chur won 3–1 on aggregate and FC Biel-Bienne were relegated to 1989–90 1. Liga.

## Further in Swiss football

* 1988–89 Swiss Cup
* 1988–89 Swiss 1. Liga