Preview: Lausanne Sport vs. Grasshopper Zurich - prediction, team news, lineups

Lausanne suffered a 2-1 loss to Young Boys in their first match of the new campaign, while Grasshopper will enter the contest off the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Servette.

Match preview

Lausanne secured a return to the top flight of Swiss football by finishing second in the Swiss Challenge League last season, earning promotion alongside Yverdon.

The Blue and Whites will now be bidding to consolidate back at this level, but they have found that difficult in recent years, failing to secure three straight campaigns in the top flight since 2014.

Lausanne were always going to be up against it in their opening match of the new season against the reigning champions Young Boys last weekend, and they suffered a 2-1 defeat in Bern.

Ludovic Magnin's side came so close to securing a share of the spoils, though, with Young Boys netting their winner in the 97th minute from the penalty spot.

Lausanne were active over the summer in terms of additions, bringing in the likes of Jamie Roche and Noe Dussenne, while there were also a number of departures, with Magnin shaping his squad for the new season.

Grasshopper, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 loss at home to Servette, with the visitors scoring twice in the final 30 minutes to secure all three points.

Hoppers are comfortably the most successful side in the history of Swiss top-flight football, having won the title on 27 occasions, but they have not lifted the trophy since 2003.

A disappointing 2022-23 campaign saw the team finish down in seventh position in the table, having picked up only 44 points from 36 matches, but they were 13 points clear of 10th-placed Sion.

Bruno Berner has been appointed as the new head coach for the 2023-24 campaign, with the 45-year-old returning to the club that he represented as a player between 1992 and 2002.

Grasshopper were also active before the start of the campaign, bringing in nine players in total, including centre-forward Bradley Fink, who has joined on loan from Basel.

Lausanne Sport Swiss Super League form:

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Grasshopper Zurich Swiss Super League form:

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Team News

Lausanne head coach Magnin is unlikely to find a reason to change the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Young Boys last time out due to the manner of the performance.

Kaly Sene is one of a number of new faces at the club, joining on loan from Basel over the summer, and the 22-year-old is expected to continue at the tip of the attack.

There is no change to the team's injury situation, with Marc Tsoungui, Mischa Eberhard, Romain Bayard and Charles Abi remaining on the treatment table.

Grasshopper, meanwhile, have not reported any fresh fitness concerns ahead of this contest.

Berner's side got off to the worst possible start against Servette, but it is unlikely that there will be wholesale changes to the XI that started the first game of the new campaign.

There could potentially be an alternation in the final third of the field, though, with Damian Nigg battling to come into the side, having made a positive impression off the bench last time out.

Lausanne Sport possible starting lineup:

Castella; Giger, Dussenne, Husic, Brown; Bernede, Custodio; Balde, Sanches, Ilie; Sene

Grasshopper Zurich possible starting lineup:

Hammel; Abels, Tobers, Seko, Kempter; Abrashi, Ndenge; Corbeanu, Morandi, Nigg; Dadashov

We say: Lausanne Sport 1-1 Grasshopper Zurich

Both sides will be determined to bounce back from opening-weekend defeats, but we are finding it difficult to separate the two teams here. Grasshopper will be expecting to win, but Lausanne impressed against Young Boys last time out and are good enough to secure a share of the spoils in this match.

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