Preview: Basel vs. FC Winterthur - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts came away empty-handed from their season opener last time out, while this weekend's visitors had to make do with a share of the spoils.

Match preview

Basel kicked off their season on the back foot as they fell to an agonising 2-1 defeat against St.Gallen in Saturday's opening fixture at Kybunpark.

Timo Schultz's men found themselves trailing to Willem Geubbels's strike but managed to draw level through Fabian Frei just shy of half time, after which Lukas Gortler grabbed the winner four minutes from time.

To make things worse for RotBlau, they then fell to a 3-1 defeat against Kazakhstan side Tobol Kostanay in the first leg of the teams' Conference League qualifier.

Coming up next is the challenge of an opposing outfit who boast just one win from the previous 11 encounters, losing all but one of the other 10 clashes.

Having lost each of their last three home outings leading to Sunday's contest, the hosts will be keen to get back to winning ways in front of their fans as soon as possible.

Winterthur played out a goalless stalemate against Luzern on Saturday as the teams both drew blanks in their curtain-raiser at Stadion Schutzenweise.

Patrick Rahmen's men mustered significantly more clear-cut opportunities to break the deadlock, but they ran into an inspired goalkeeper in the opposition goal.

The Zurich-based side currently sit seventh in the Swiss Super League table, just outside the last Championship group place on goal difference.

Ahead of a daunting assignment against defending champions Young Boys six days later, Sunday's visitors will be seeking to secure a morale-boosting result here.

Basel Swiss Super League form:

Basel form (all competitions):

FC Winterthur Swiss Super League form:

Team News

Basel's Wouter Burger was forced off with an injury problem against Tobol Kostanay, meaning that his involvement this weekend is doubtful.

Taulant Xhaka replaced Burger in the aforementioned game and is in line to come into the starting XI for this one at the expense of his Dutch colleague.

Thierno Barry received his marching orders for a second straight game in midweek, ruling him ineligible to play a part for the home side here.

Jean-Kevin Augustin will be looking to deliver the goods once again after he found the back of the net in last season's meeting between Sunday's opponents.

Rion Xhemaili will be preparing to take on his former teammates for the first time since completing a Bosman move to Winterthur earlier this month.

Thirty-year-old Roman Buess saw his six-game scoring streak come to an end last time out, but the forward is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Basel possible starting lineup:

Hitz; Lopez, Comas, Van Breemen, Calafiori; Frei, Xhaka; Dubasin, Augustin, Ndoye; Millar

FC Winterthur possible starting lineup:

Kuster; Diaby, Stillhart, Schmid, Sidler; Jankewitz, Zuffi; Ballet, Di Giusto, Burkart; Buess

We say: Basel 2-1 FC Winterthur

Previews by email