Reto Zanni

Reto Zanni (born 9 February 1980) is a Swiss former footballer who played mainly as right defender, but also as central defender.

Zanni played his youth football with local club SC Buochs and after his time at school he started his apprenticeship as office clerk.

A last-minute goal from Zürich's Iulian Filipescu meant the final score was 1-2 in favour of the away team and it gave FCZ their first national championship since 1980–81.

The title for Basel was lost on goal difference.

He was scouted by Grasshopper Club and in summer 1998 moved to their youth department, signing his first professional contract with them he interrupted his apprenticeship.

He commenced his professional football in GC's U-21 team, where he played for one year, occasionally being called up into the first team, despite suffering a few injuries.

He played his debut with the first team on 25 July 1998, coming on as a substitute against Lugano.

In Spring 1999 he played the last four games of the season with the first team.

In summer 1999 Zanni advanced definitely to GC's first team under head coach Roy Hodgson.

He played well under Hodgson advancing to become regular player.

He kept his place in the team, even after the change of coach to Hans-Peter Zaugg.

He went on to play 45 times for the GC, scoring one goal, until in November 2000 he suffered an injury and was kept out of the game until the end of the season.

At the end of the season GC won the league championship.

During the 2001–02 season, Zanni was on loan at St. Gallen to obtain more playing experience.

For St. Gallen he played 28 league games and four in the UEFA Cup.

After the loan period Zanni returning to the Grasshopper-Club.

However, right to the beginning of the season he was diagnosed with a fatigue fracture and missed nearly the entire season due to the injury.

GC became Swiss champions this season, but Zanni played just one game in the 2002–03 season.

He left the Grasshopper-Club in 2003 after five years at the club.

He joined FC Thun in 2003 and there, under head coach Hanspeter Latour, he broke into the first team immediately.

During his time at Thun, he rose to be one of the team's best players.

He played well for one and a half seasons, until the end of 2004, and as Latour left the club Zanni also decided to leave.

He joined Basel's first team during the winter break 0f their 2004–05 season under head coach Christian Gross, who was in his sixth season with the club in that position and, under trainer Gross, Zanni played in the first team immediately.

Basel completed all the 2004–05 Super League season's seventeen home games undefeated, winning thirteen and drawing four.

They ended the season as Swiss champions with 10 points advantage over second placed Thun.

On 15 January 2005 FC Basel signed Zanni on a two-and-a-half-year contract with an option for a further year.

After playing in nine test games, he played his team debut in the round of 32 in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup, a home game in the St. Jakob-Park on 17 February 2005 as Basel played a goalless draw against Lille OSC.

He played his domestic league debut for the club in the away game in the Espenmoos three days later, on 20 February, as Basel were defeated 3–1 by St. Gallen.

Zanni scored his first goal for his new club in the home game in the St. Jakob-Park on 2 April 2005.

It was the last goal of the game as Basel won 4–2 against Aarau.

As Swiss champions, Basel entered the 2005–06 Champions League third qualifying round.

However, they were drawn against German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen and they lost 4-2 on aggregate.

Subsequently Basel dropped into the 2005–06 UEFA Cup, where against NK Široki Brijeg in the first round, they sealed a 6–0 aggregate win to qualify for the Group stage.

Here Basel were then drawn into Group E, alongside Strasbourg, Roma, Red Star Belgrade and Tromsø.

Basel qualified for the knock-out stage and in the round of 32 Basel were drawn against AS Monaco, this was won 2-1 on aggregate.

In the round of 16 Basel were drawn against Strasbourgh winning 4-2 on aggregate.

In the quarter-finals, drawn against Middlesbrough they won the first leg 2–0, but Middlesbrough fought back to win the return match 4–1 and the tie 4–3 on aggregate.

Zanni played in all 14 European games.

Basel started the season well and led the championship right until the last day of the league campaign.

On the final day of the league season Basel played at home against Zürich.