FC Basel vs Ludogorets Champions League Preview

FC Basel vs Ludogorets Champions League Preview

FC Basel vs Ludogorets does not necessarily sound like a classic, but in reality this will be the fifth time that the two clubs will be facing each other. In fact Ludogorets made history the last time the two sides were drawn against each other in the group stage of the Champions League in the 2014-15 season (read our full PFK Ludogorets Razgrad Champions League Preview here).

The 85th minute goal by Yordan Minev in Ludogorets’ home game secured the team a 1-0 victory, which was the first success of any Bulgarian side in the Champions League group stage. The Swiss, however, avenged the defeat one week later when they dismantled the Bulgarians in a 4-0 victory at the St. Jakob-Park in Basel.

Amongst the scorers was the 17-year-old wunderkind Breel Embolo, who at the time was the latest wunderkind to come out of FC Basel’s prolific youth academy—Embolo has since made a €22.5 million move to FC Schalke 04. The game at the St. Jakob Park might one day mark the beginning of a wonderful career for the Schalke striker.

Indeed the young prolific talent available on both sides might be one of the main reasons to watch this match. The fact that both clubs are playing in some of Europe’s smaller leagues means that they have to find ways to compete without spending money on big transfers.

Their sponsorship deal with the pharmaceutical company Novartis, and a stable ownership transition after long time owner Gigi Oeri sold the club in 2012 has meant that Basel is by far the richest and most successful club in Switzerland.

Basel furthermore has also established a prolific youth academy that has produced players such as the above-mentioned Embolo, but also Arsenal’s new signing Granit Xhaka, Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitić, Stoke’s Xherdan Shaqiri, and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Ludogorets’ owner Kiril Domuschiev meanwhile has set a goal to establish his club as the number one producer of talent in Bulgarian football. Like Basel Ludogorets will be dependent on producing players for bigger European clubs in order to become self-sufficient. But for now it seems that the club is going the Shakhtar Donetsk route by focusing on bringing in South American players that then can be sold for a profit to the west.

Hence, while both clubs have similar philosophies they seem to have different strategies on how to develop talent. So far Basel’s way seems to have proven to be the better method, as the Swiss have a far better record in the Champions League, and also have defeated Ludogorets in three out of four meetings in the UEFA Champions League group stage, and qualification rounds.

It can also be expected that Basel will once again emerge victorious, but at the same time Ludogorets have shown that they can be a dangerous side, and it would not be beyond them to surprise the world by recording their first away win in Champions League history.

Possible Line-ups

FC Basel:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Vaclik – Gaber, Balanta, Suchy, Lang – Xhaka, Zuffi – Steffen, Elyounoussi, Calla – Janko

Manager: Urs Fischer

Ludogorets Razgrad:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Stoyanov – Natanael, Palomino, Plastun, Cicinho – Marcelinho, Campanharo – Wanderson, Juninho, Jonathan Cafú – Keseru

Manager: Georgi Dermendzhiev

By Manuel Veth –

COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 0
DISQUS: 0