Showdown between champions Basel and YB

Both FCB and YB have not had the best of starts to the season. The champions were beaten in St. Gallen in the first round and also had more trouble than expected in their 2:1 home win against Grasshoppers on Saturday. YB also suffered their first setback after a successful start against Servette with a draw in Winterthur.

Now two of the favorites for the championship title will meet in Basel on Wednesday. The match was originally scheduled for the weekend of August 24/25. However, as both teams are busy with European Cup qualifying the week before and after, the Swiss Football League decided to bring the game forward.

There is no clear favorite in the showdown between the current champions and the perennial champions of previous years. However, YB have won the last three encounters - and three out of four duels in Basel's championship season. FCB's current home record speaks for itself: the champions have won their last six matches at St. Jakob-Park over the course of the season. The last home defeat, however, was against Young Boys of all teams. Christian Fassnacht was the match-winner for the Bernese, scoring twice in the 2-1 win in March.

An attacking spectacle is guaranteed in the first summit meeting of the still young season. No team has scored more goals in the first two games than FCB and YB (40 times each). And the two teams also had the most shots on target last season. YB scored 60 goals from 637 attempts, while Basel had the significantly better chance conversion rate with 91 goals from 614 attempts. On Wednesday, however, these statistics will count for nothing.