In Switzerland, there’s a big surprise not just at the top of the table. Remarkable things are happening at the bottom as well.

Anyone looking at the table in Switzerland might be mistakenly led to congratulate FC Thun on winning the championship. The promoted team has a 17-point lead over FC St. Gallen. But there is still a championship round to come, in which the cards will be reshuffled.

Bitter for Thun, good for Grasshoppers Zurich at the other end of the table. The traditional club, whose roster includes former Schalke player Michael Frey and former Bochum player Saulo Decarli, sits in second-to-last place and is in acute danger of relegation.

Coach Gerald Scheiblehner has now lost his job as a result. After three consecutive losses, the 49-year-old Austrian had to leave. After 34 games and an average of 1.06 points per match, it’s over.

“The decision was a difficult one for us. We had a very good and trusting relationship with Gerald, Alex, and Toni. The coaching staff has worked with great professionalism over the past few months and has shown tremendous dedication to Grasshopper Club Zurich. We would like to express our sincere thanks to them for that. However, after a careful analysis, we have come to the conclusion that we want to inject new momentum for the remainder of the season,” said sporting director Alain Suttner.

This means Decarli and Frey will also have a new coach: Gernot Messer. While Decarli is injured, Frey’s winter transfer hasn’t worked out as hoped. In the Swiss Cup, he scored and set up a goal in the 4-3 win against FC Sion. In the league, he has one assist to his name in six games so far. He will miss the recent 1-5 loss to FC Thun due to a yellow-red card suspension.

Michael Frey once struggled at Schalke

Frey was trained at the BSC Young Boys academy and played at all youth levels for the Swiss national team. In 2013, he was named “Best Youngster” by the Swiss Football League. The veteran knows the Swiss Super League inside out, but also has international experience.

His career has included stints at OSC Lille, FC Lucerne, Fenerbahçe, 1. FC Nürnberg, Schalke 04, and Royal Antwerp, where he won the league title and the cup in 2023.

He is remembered by the Royal Blues for his fighting spirit. The otherwise unlucky striker (15 games, no goals, three assists) never failed to show that. The loan agreement even included a purchase option at the time, but Schalke 04 decided not to exercise it after being relegated to the 2. Bundesliga. The reason: his lack of finishing touch. Now he is seeking his fortune in Switzerland.