Preview: St Gallen vs FC Basel – prediction, team news, lineups

The Swiss Super League returns this weekend with defending champions FC Basel kicking off their campaign against St Gallen at Kybunpark.

While Espen are hoping for a much-improved season in the Swiss top tier, RotBlau will be looking to make a solid start to the defence of their title.

Match preview

St Gallen struggled to balance league duties with European action last season and ended up with some rather disappointing results on both fronts.

Finishing eighth in the Swiss Super League marked a significant dip from their fourth-placed finish a season before that, but it was their European campaign that failed to produce much joy.

After defeating the likes of FC Tobol, Slask Wroclaw and Trabzonspor to qualify for the Europa Conference League, Espen went on to win just one of their six league phase matches, with the sole success coming against Northern Irish minnows Larne.

German manager Enrico Maassen will be hoping for significant improvement this term, with the lack of European football allowing them to give their domestic ambitions the maximum level of attention.

Basel, on the other hand, celebrated their 21st title win last season – a victory that snapped their seven-year wait for a domestic crown and underlined their position as the second-most successful club in Switzerland.

RotBlau are still six titles behind Grasshopper Club Zurich, but they will be hoping to close that gap even further with new manager Ludovic Magnin.

As a footballer, Magnin reached lofty heights of international football and represented Switzerland over 60 times. His managerial career is yet to blossom, with the 46-year-old boasting one Swiss Cup win during his eight years in the dugout.

Magnin will be hoping to kick off his new job and the new season on a high as his men look to make a statement and build momentum ahead of the Champions League play off round in early August.

St Gallen pre season form:

D L L D

FC Basel pre season form:

D W D D D

Team News

St Gallen head into their season opener without the injured trio of Betim Fazliji, Nikolaj Moller and Christian Witzig.

Alessandro Vogt and loanee Aliou Balde are both available for selection and could make an appearance on Saturday.

Corsin Konietzke has impressed during pre-season and the 18-year-old will be hoping to get his opportunity against the defending champions.

Basel have no fresh injuries heading into their first competitive game of the new season.

Magnin, who replaced the departing manager Fabio Celestini over the summer, has a fully fit squad to pick from.

St Gallen possible starting lineup: Zigi; Vallci, Stergiou, Kempter, Traore; Gortler, Quintilla, Diaby; Geubbels, Latte Lath, Schmidt

FC Basel possible starting lineup: Hitz; Vouilloz, Pelmard, Lang, Lopez; Baro, Frei, Cisse; Shaqiri, Ajeti, Ndoye

We say: St Gallen 1-2 FC Basel

St Gallen will be looking to make a good impression in their first home game of the new season, but overcoming Basel does seem a stretch too far.

The defending champions have no injury issues and boast a lot of quality throughout the squad. With that in mind, we are backing the visitors to come away with a win.