Basel set for neighbourly spat

FC Basel 1893's second assignment in this season's UEFA Cup has the feel of a domestic affair with Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz the visitors to St. Jakob-Park tonight.

Familiar sight
Local fans are accustomed to the sight of Vaduz venturing into Switzerland from the small Alpine principality given they play their league football in the country's second tier, the Challenge League. However, familiarity offers no cause for complacency going into the first leg of this second qualifying round tie, according to Basel coach Christian Gross. "We have respect for our opponents, we respect every opponent," he said of a team who overcame Hungary's Újpest FC 4-1 in the previous round.

Food for thought
If that result offered Gross food for thought, he will also have been digesting his own squad's less-than-convincing form in the early weeks of the Swiss campaign. Basel may have recorded a comfortable 3-1 aggregate victory over Kazakhstan's FC Tobol Kostanay in the UEFA Cup, but domestically, they appear to be suffering a hangover from losing their grip on the title in the dying seconds of last season.

Stuttering start
The 2005/06 Super League runners-up - and UEFA Cup quarter-finalists - have won just one of their opening four matches. Their only success came against promoted FC Schaffhausen and they suffered their second reverse of the new term on Saturday, going down 3-2 at home to Grasshopper-Club.

Ergić lament
Captain Ivan Ergić believes they are paying for the departure of several key players over the summer, among them Argentinian Matías Delgado to Besiktas JK. "We have lost players in important positions, but it's another question if we've managed to adequately replace them," said Ergić. "We have a team for the Swiss championship, but not one for three competitions."

Burgmeier faces old friends 
Gross himself spoke of his side's "lean spell" but has promised "we will work our way through it". However, he is unable to call on the injured Damir Džombić, Boris Smiljanic, César Carignano and Eduardo for tonight's fixture – absences which should give Basel's Liechtenstein international midfielder Franz Burgmeier a chance to shine against his former club.

Mixed fortunes
Like Basel, Burgmeier's old colleagues have had mixed fortunes on the domestic front. After collecting four points from their first two games, they surrendered a two-goal lead to succumb 3-2 to FC Chiasso on Saturday. Still, the Liechtenstein Cup holders could feel extra motivation in Basle. Twice in the last three campaigns, they were one victory away from a place in the Swiss top flight. Now they have the opportunity to trade blows with one of Switzerland's big guns, they will be determined to make the most of it.