Preview: Young Boys vs. Manchester City - prediction, team news, lineups

The Swiss Super League champions have lost one and drawn one of their opening two matches.

Match preview

Since ending their 31-year wait to win Switzerland's top division, Young Boys have gone on to dominate their domestic football, lifting the title in five of the last six seasons.

After losing out on the title to FC Zurich in the 2021-22 campaign, Young Boys cantered to the title in Raphael Wicky's first season in charge last time out, finishing 16 points clear of second-placed Servette in the end.

Wicky's side defeated Maccabi Haifa 3-0 on aggregate in a play-off to reach the Champions League group stage for the third time in their history, losing 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig in their opening match before claiming a 2-2 draw away to Red Star Belgrade.

They missed out on the chance to move top of their domestic table when being held at home to league leaders Zurich at the weekend, but Wicky and his players would almost certainly settle for another draw when they welcome the English Premier League champions to Wankdorf Stadium on Wednesday.

However, Man City will want to wrap up their qualification to the Champions League knockout stages for the 11th successive season as quickly as possible after winning their opening two games.

The Citizens have been far from at their best despite defeating Red Star and Leipzig 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium and Red Bull Arena respectively, leaving it late on both occasions to secure all three points.

Pep Guardiola's side returned to winning ways to move back to the top of the Premier League table - at least until Tottenham Hotspur host Fulham on Monday evening - when claiming another tight victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, with goals from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland enough to defeat the Seagulls by two goals to one.

Ahead of visiting their city rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, Guardiola and his players may feel somewhat relieved to be facing a team competing at a much lower level than them, but they will still not be taking anything for granted in Bern.

Young Boys Champions League form:

D

W

L

D

Young Boys form (all competitions):

W

L

W

D

W

D

Manchester City Champions League form:

W

W

Manchester City form (all competitions):

W

L

L

W

L

W

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Team News

Young Boys will remain without Kastriot Imeri, whose ACL injury will keep him out for the rest of the season. Darian Males could also miss out due to a knock.

Cedric Itten could come into the hosts' starting line-up after only being used from the bench during his side's 0-0 draw against Zurich on Saturday, with Jean-Pierre Nsame potentially making way for him.

Man City, meanwhile, could use Wednesday's trip to Switzerland as an opportunity to rest some key players ahead of an important league fixture at the weekend, including John Stones and Bernardo Silva, who have both only recently returned from injury.

Manuel Akanji will almost certainly start as he will be suspended for the Manchester derby after being sent off for two bookable offences against Brighton, while Jack Grealish, Matteo Kovacic, Ederson and Nathan Ake were all on the bench for that victory but should be recalled here.

The visitors will still be without their talismanic midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who could return "sooner than expected" according to his manager after tearing his hamstring two months ago.

Young Boys possible starting lineup:

Racioppi; Blum, Camara, Benito, Garcia; Monteiro, Lauper, Niasse; Ugrinic, Itten, Elia

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, Nunes, Grealish; Haaland

We say: Young Boys 0-2 Manchester City

Despite Guardiola being likely to make some changes to his starting XI ahead of the Manchester derby on Sunday, we expect the visitors to have too much quality for their opponents.

Young Boys have dominated Swiss football in recent years, but it is clearly a huge step up in class for them to be taking on the holders, and they may struggle to lay a glove on Man City even with home advantage on their side.

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