Roger Federer has said that he will be in the stands of St. Jakob Park to watch the Europa League semi final match between FC Basel and Chelsea.
The first leg of the semi final clash between Chelsea and Basel will be played at St. Jakob Park on Thursday and Federer will be out there to cheer for the home team.
FC Basel made its way into the final 4 of this tournament by defeating Tottenham Hotspur in the previous round. Nobody had expected them to do that, but, they put up a couple of stunning performances and surprised everybody.
When asked about the upcoming first leg semi final match between Basel and Chelsea, Federer said, “It’s a huge game for the whole Switzerland. The stadium will be jam packed and I will be there as well. I am a diehard Basel fan and I really want them to go on and win this competition.”
“Chelsea is a good team, but, I don’t think they will be able to defeat us on our home ground. I think we will pull it off by 2-1. That’s my prediction.”
“We are not the favourites. So, the pressure is not on us. The pressure is on them and it has happened very often that the favourite teams choke in such big games. Hopefully, the same will happen with Chelsea on Thursday.”
When asked about his favourite player in Basel side, Federer said, “It’s Marco Streller. He is a fine striker and a great leader as well. Also, he is one of those guys who always fire in big matches. He will be a crucial player for Basel in Thursday’s match.”
Federer has been a Basel fan since his childhood days and he follows almost all the matches of Basel.