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YB winning a point against Manchester City would already be a sensation. The Bernese have nothing to lose.
The betting odds underline, among other things, how clear the starting position is in the duel on Tuesday between Manchester City and YB. If you bet one franc on a home win for the Citizens, you will receive 1.07 francs back if you win. If you instead bet on an away win for YB, the winnings are more than 28 times (As of: November 6th, 11 p.m).
City untouchable at home
There is actually no match against coach Pep Guardiola’s team in their home stadium. The “Skyblues” have won all of their last 22 home games across all competitions. The last time the City supporters were not able to celebrate a home win was on New Year’s Eve 2022, when Everton held the industry leader to a 1-1 draw.
The statistics of the “Skyblues” in the Champions League are even more extreme – and not particularly encouraging for YB. The last 26 home games in the premier class resulted in 24 wins and 2 draws for Manchester City. The last defeat at home was over 5 years ago, when Lyon pulled off the surprise. Six months earlier, FC Basel had also achieved the supposedly impossible and won at the “Citizens”. Back then at FCB on the sidelines: Exactly, Raphael Wicky.
Legend:
Rare image
Pep Guardiola must congratulate the opposing coach on his victory. In this case Raphael Wicky, who surprisingly won against Manchester City with Basel in 2018.
Keystone/EPA/Peter Powell
See the opportunities, not the dangers
Today’s YB coach knows very well how difficult the task is that his team will face on Tuesday evening. Manchester City’s 6-1 win over Bournemouth at the weekend didn’t intimidate Wicky. «That didn’t really surprise me. Last season they beat Leipzig 7-0 at home and Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals. We know what awaits us here. For us it’s about seeing the chances of winning something and not the dangers of losing something.”
The YB coach sees the best chance of winning something not in parking the bus in his own penalty area, but in playing courageously forward. “Sooner or later we will involuntarily have to defend deeper, we all know that. Nevertheless, I want my team to be ahead in phases,” said Wicky.
It needs perfect performance
After the long-fought first leg, Manchester City will hardly take the Bernese lightly. Guardiola admitted at the media conference on Monday that his team was faced with major problems by the Swiss champions after YB’s equalizer in Wankdorf. Accordingly, Guardiola said he would have to make some fine adjustments before the second leg. With another win, ManCity would secure their place in the round of 16 early.
YB, which has managed to get 1 point from the previous 3 games, is miles away from that. It was clear from the start that things could be difficult for the Bernese in this group. Just a point win against Manchester City, currently probably the best team in the world, would be a huge surprise. In order for this to succeed, YB needs a perfect performance on Tuesday. For Wicky this means: “We can’t concede a standard goal, we have to be efficient up front, the goalie has to be good and the team has to show brutal solidarity.”
Nobody said it would be easy.