Taulant Xhaka explodes once again – at FC Basel's championship celebration, he shouts: "Death and hate to FCZ"

Taulant Xhaka hasn't played a role on the pitch for some time now; the Basel veteran is ending his career at the end of the season. But on Sunday evening, he once again thrust himself into the spotlight. At FC Basel's championship celebration on the balcony above Barfüsserplatz, he played his most famous, dubious role: that of motivator and agitator. Xhaka, 34, is intoxicated after his seventh championship title with Basel and is no longer feeling himself at all.

While the other FCB players exuberantly celebrate the 21st league title in the club's history, Xhaka lights a pyrotechnic flare thrown to him by fans on the "Barfi" balcony. He grabs the microphone and shouts, "Death and hate to FCZ!" The fans repeat the chant. Xhaka is holding a T-shirt depicting the headbutt he delivered to FCZ defender Nikola Katic in the 2022/23 season. The league imposed an eight-match ban on Xhaka for this incident.

But that's not all: He takes to the microphone to wish Grasshoppers, where he was once on loan for a year and a half, relegation to the "Nati B" (national B). And when the FCB fans chant "Shitty police" in reference to the former job of FCB sporting director Daniel Stucki, Xhaka joins in the jeering. FCB President David Degen also resorts to foul language, shouting "Don't scream such shit" from the balcony. To no avail; Xhaka refuses to be stopped.

The midfielder made several mistakes at the FCB championship celebration. Setting off a pyrotechnic flare was the smallest of his offenses. Other FCB players have done so before him at championship or cup festivities. For example, Xherdan Shaqiri did so after the 2010 cup victory; he was fined 800 francs by the club at the time. Later, Aleksandar Dragovic, Granit Xhaka, and Albian Ajeti also lit 2,000-degree hot flares on Basel's most famous balcony. Setting off pyrotechnics is a violation of the Explosives Act – for Xhaka, this action will have repercussions.

Xhaka's insults against Zurich clubs FC Zurich and GC also go way too far – the 34-year-old now even faces charges of incitement to violence. Also offensive is his mockery of the Basel police, who had made the FCB championship celebration in the heart of the city center possible by clearing Barfüsserplatz on Sunday evening. Concerts for the Eurovision Song Contest had been taking place there until shortly before the FCB players' reception.

On Monday afternoon, Xhaka apologized for his outbursts. On his Instagram account, he wrote: "I am very sorry for what I did and said last night at the spontaneous championship celebration." He wanted to formally apologize to FCZ and Grasshoppers. Xhaka continued: "After eight years without a title and shortly before the end of my career, my emotions were completely over – but that doesn't justify my overreaching comments."

That afternoon, FC Basel also commented on the incident. A statement on the club's website read: "At the spontaneous championship celebration on Sunday, May 11, 2025, Taulant Xhaka allowed himself to be carried away and ignite a pyrotechnic flare that was thrown at him. In addition, several insulting chants were chanted against FC Zurich and GC, which clearly violate the club values ​​of FC Basel 1893. FC Basel strongly condemns both of its player's actions. Such violations of the club values ​​have no place, even in moments of celebration."

The club further wrote that it wanted to apologize to the public and to the two Zurich football clubs, and that it regretted that FCB had failed to live up to its role model function. The incident will result in an internal sanction yet to be determined. Ajeti was fined internally within the club after the 2019 cup victory: 10,000 Swiss francs. According to information from "Blick," he was required to donate the fine to a charity.

Xhaka could now even miss his final game at St. Jakob-Park. On Monday evening, the league announced that it had opened legal proceedings against the midfielder. Xhaka must now respond to his comments. FC Basel will host FC Luzern in the final home game of the season on May 24.

It's absurd: Until Sunday evening, outsiders had the impression that FC Basel had handled the involuntary departures of key players Fabian Frei and Taulant Xhaka this season in an exemplary manner. The demoted players proved loyal, Frei moved to FC Winterthur , and Xhaka subordinated himself. Perhaps Xhaka contributed significantly to Basel's championship title by keeping calm. Until Sunday evening. Then the unpredictable player exploded once again.