Luganovs.Servette

The home side suffered an exit in the Champions League qualifying round to Fenerbahce, and they seek to bounce back from that disappointment against their league-leading opponents.

Match preview

Fresh off this week's disappointing continental exit to Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce, Mattia Croci-Torti's Lugano enter this weekend's league match keen to return to winning ways.

They notched a 2-1 win over Basel last weekend on the back of the 4-3 first-leg loss against the Turkish outfit and the Bianconeri seek more of the same on Saturday.

Including pre-season fixtures, Lugano have yet to keep a clean sheet in eight consecutive matches (four competitive games), and they aim to halt that run without a shutout.

Having lost the corresponding fixture at the backend of last season, the Bianconeri hope for a different outcome from the 2-0 loss in May.

However, the home side will hope their propensity to concede does not undermine them against the in-form visitors.

Neither side has had trouble scoring and both are prone to letting in goals at the other end, as underlined by Servette failing to keep a clean sheet despite notching three consecutive victories to start the season.

Thomas Haberli's team have come through tests against Luzern (2-1), Young Boys (3-1) and Yverdon-Sport (3-2), claiming all but one win by one goal.

However, closer examination shows that they led 2-0 on the opening weekend before conceding a late strike to Luzern and twice had two-goal advantages last time out before winning 3-2.

The recent victory was the most complicated match to navigate for Haberli's men as they played the whole second 45 with 10 men after Steve Rouiller's first-half sending-off.

Despite increasing their lead after the interlude, William Le Pogam halving the league-leading side's lead to 3-2 made the game's final half-hour nervy for the hosts.

What has played out so far for both sides promises an entertaining clash on Saturday, and both managers hope their sides come out on top in gameweek three's tussle.

Lugano Swiss Super League form:

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Lugano form (all competitions):

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Servette Swiss Super League form:

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Team News

Having returned to training, Swiss winger Renato Steffen could make his first appearance for Lugano on Saturday.

Kacper Przybylko has netted 50% of the Bianconeri's four top-flight goals this term, and the forward could make consecutive league starts for the hosts after coming off the bench against Fenerbahce in midweek.

Rouiller is suspended for Servette after his first-half stoppage time red card in the away side's previous league match.

Bradley Mazikou, withdrawn in minute 36 of that match by Theo Magnin, could miss out due to injury if Saturday has come too soon to feature.

Lugano possible starting lineup:

Saipi; Zanotti, El Wafi, Papadopoulos, Valenzuela; Mahmoud, Hajdari, Bislimi; Doumbia, Przybylko, Aliseda

Servette possible starting lineup:

Mall; Tsunemoto, Baron, Severin, Magnin; Ondoua, Cognat; Stevanovic, Antunes, Kutesa; Guillemenot

We say: Lugano 2-2 Servette

With Servette being forced into a change at centre-back and possibly a left-back alteration, an already shaky backline for the visitors could leak more goals against Lugano.

However, they should have enough to extend their undefeated league run against the hosts to eight, having last suffered a loss to the Bianconeri in October 2022.

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