The 1995–96 season was FC Aarau's 93rd season in their existence, since their foundation in 1902. It was their fourteenth season in the top flight of Swiss football, following their promotion at the end of 1980–81 season. FCA played their home games in the Stadion Brügglifeld and the stadium is located on the southern outskirts of Aarau, in the territory of the neighboring municipality of Suhr. It is about one and a half kilometers from Aarau city center and the railway station.
Overview The local businessman and architect Ernst Lämmli was the club's chairman and patron at this time. He held this position since the AGM in 1989. Three seasons earlier, Lämmli had appointed the Austrian Rolf Fringer as head-coach but his contract now came to an end. After achieving the championship title in his first season with the team and qualifing for the UEFA Cup in the following season, this had been a very successfuk period. Lämmli appointed Martin Trümpler as new head-coach. Trümpler had previously been head-coach for FC Thun, BSC Young Boys and the previous season for Lausanne-Sport.
The FCA first team competed in this season's domestic first-tier 1995–96 Nationalliga A with the clear intention of reaching the championship group and again to qualify for the European competitions. To achieve this would mean they would have to finish the qualifying stage under the top eight teams. The team also competed in the 1995–96 Swiss Cup. The first-tier teams from the NLA were granted byes for the first two cup rounds, eight of them joined the competition in round three.
The team had not qualified for the UEFA-competitions, but they did enter the 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Further, as title holders of the pre-season Sempione-Cup FCA also entered this years edition of this competition.
Players The following is the list of the FCA first team squad this season. It also includes players that were in the squad the day the domestic league season started, on 27 July 1994, but subsequently left the club after that date.
Players who left the squad The following is the list of the FCZ first team players that left the squad during the previous season or in the off-season, before the new domestic season began.
Results Legend
Nationalliga A
Qualification phase The first stage of the NLA began on 19 July 1995 and was completed on 10 December. The top eight teams in the qualification phase would advance to the championship group and the last four teams would play against relegation.
Qualification league table
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. The championship group began on 25 February 1996 and was completed on 14 May.
Final league table
Grasshopper Club won the championship title and this was GC's 24th title to this date.
Swiss Cup The first-tier clubs from the 1994–95 Nationalliga A were granted byes for the first two rounds, eight of them joined the competition in this round The four clubs that were competing in the UEFA European competitions were granted byes for this round as well. The eight participating first-tier teams were seeded and cound not be drawn against each other. The draw respected regionalities, when possible, and the lower classed team was granted home advantage.
Servette advanced to the final. However, Sion won the cup beating them 3–2 in the final. This was Sion's 8th cup title to this date and it was their second cup win in a row.
Intertoto Cup
The 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup was the first edition of the tournament administered by the UEFA. FCA were assigned to group three.
Group 3 matches
Final group table
Round of 16
Karlsruhe advanced to next round and then to the 1995–96 UEFA Cup#Preliminary round. Here they lost in the first round against Bordeaux.
Sempione Cup
Aarau won the Sempione Cup for the second time in a row.
References
Sources Switzerland 1995–96 at RSSSF FCA squad 1995–96 at arowa.ch