Sion vs Basel – News and Probable Lineups

The reigning champions, Basel, are set to visit the Stade de Tourbillon on Thursday night to take on Sion in the Swiss Super League.

These two sides are set to meet again just three-and-a-half weeks after their previous encounter, which ended in a 1-1 stalemate at St. Jakob-Park.

Match overview

Following their exit from the Swiss Cup at the hands of Grasshoppers last week Tuesday, where they lost 4-3 after a dramatic late goal, Sion managed to secure just a point in a goalless draw against Luzen on Sunday, which was far less thrilling.

Didier Tholot’s men have now drawn their last four league fixtures, securing points against Servette, Luzen, and Basel, making a total of 10 draws this season, which is the highest in the division. Their last league defeat came on December 16 in an away match against St Gallen (3-1).

Currently in fifth place in the Super League, Sion aims to strengthen their position in the championship group and avoid the relegation zone, as there is a five-point gap to Lausanne in seventh place.

Les Sedunois head into the fixture hoping to end their streak of nine matches without a win against Basel across all competitions (D3 L6) – their last league win came in September 2022 with a 2-1 triumph at home over RotBlau.

That defeat remains Basel’s only loss in their last six league trips to Sion (D2 L3), and they come to the Stade de Tourbillon possessing the third-best away record in the league (20 points – W6 D2 L3).

However, Basel was defeated 2-1 in their last away fixture against St Gallen in the Swiss Cup quarter-finals, marking a troubling stretch of four losses in five matches across all competitions (W1). This was followed by Stephan Lichtsteiner’s first win as the new head coach in a thrilling encounter on Sunday.

Xherdan Shaqiri’s penalty in the 90th minute and a winner from Ibrahim Salah in the 96th minute saw RotBlau come from behind to secure a 2-1 home victory over FC Zurich, allowing them to establish their grip on fourth place in the standings and level points with St Gallen in third.

A title challenge seems unlikely for the 12-time champions Basel, who have dropped points in 12 of their 23 Super League games this season (W11 D6 L6) and currently trail the leaders Thun by 13 points. Finishing in the top two is a distinct possibility, as Lugano sits just two points ahead in second place.

Team News

Sion’s midfielder Donat Rrudhani is expected to be out for a few weeks due to a muscle injury, while Altin Shala remains sidelined with a persistent knee issue.

With Rrudhani unavailable, Liam Chipperfield, Ali Kabacalman, and Baltazar are likely to take charge in the midfield, while leading scorer Rilind Nivokazi (eight goals) is anticipated to lead the attack, despite a seven-match drought in terms of scoring.

For Basel, Finn van Breemen and Kaio Eduardo are both out with muscle injuries, whereas Metinho continues to recover from a leg injury.

Julien Duranville, who is on loan from Borussia Dortmund since January, has featured in the last two matches for Basel and will aim to keep his position on the right flank. Benie Traore or Ibrahim Salah may start on the opposite side, supporting Albian Ajeti in attack.

Xherdan Shaqiri has netted a team-high 15 goals this season, and the veteran playmaker is expected to take up the number 10 position, while Flavius Daniliuc and Nicolas Vouilloz are likely to maintain their partnership at center-back.

Sion probable starting XI:

Racioppi; Hefti, Hajrizi, Kronig, Cipriano; Chipperfield, Chipperfield, Balthazar; Berdayes, Nivokazi, Chouaref

Basel probable starting XI:

Word; Ruegg, Vouilloz, Daniliuc, Schmid; Leroy, Kacuri; Duranville, Shaqiri, Traore; Ajeti

Another tightly contested match could be expected on Thursday, considering that Sion has scored the fewest home goals (15) and allowed the least number of home goals (nine) in the Super League this season, with no more than two goals being scored in any of their last three meetings with Basel.

Having won five of their last seven matchups with Sion, Basel will come in with confidence and are viewed as favorites, but it’s plausible that the hosts will manage to secure a draw this time around.