Basel vs Slovan Bratislava prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2023-03-08 20:00.
Basel host Slovan Bratislava for the second time in five months, thirsting for revenge after a 2-0 home loss to the Slovaks in October ultimately denied them direct passage to the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) last 16. But doing it the hard way to get there, after turning around a first-leg deficit to Trabzonspor in the previous round, may well give them the confidence they need to build on Saturday’s 1-0 Swiss Super League win at Luzern.
A 2-1 loss in the home leg of last season’s UECL round of 16 saw Basel bow out 4-2 on aggregate to a much tougher team than Slovan on paper (Marseille). Following that disappointing night, however, October’s defeat against their next visitors marks the RotBlau’s sole blot on an otherwise solid record in European action this term at St. Jakob-Park (W5, D1). Notably, all five of those wins saw Basel register a second-half clean sheet!
Returning once more to the very venue at which they lifted the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1969, Slovan are considered rank outsiders by several bookmakers to finally lift major European honours after 54 years of waiting. But even if they should falter as expected, the visitors can reflect on a historic maiden appearance in the final 16 of any continental competition during the Slovak League era (1993-present).
Such scepticism, alongside Basel’s defensive efficiency at home after half-time, underlines why Slovan must aim to emulate the form that saw them hit two goals before the break here back in October. But such are the dangers of underestimating Slovan, it also sparked what is now a four-game unbeaten UECL run for the Sky Blues (W3, D1), tying in nicely with a 4-1 weekend thrashing of Spartak Trnava that lifted them into second place in the Fortuna Liga.
Players to watch: Basel’s top European scorer this term, Andi Zeqiri, will fancy his chances against a Slovan side without a UECL clean sheet since the Group H clash here, especially after scoring the goal that sealed Trabzonspor’s exit last month. As for Aleksandar Čavrić, he followed up strongly on October’s goalscoring visit to St. Jakob-Park by hitting a first-half brace on matchday six (W 2-1 vs Žalgiris) to secure top spot.
Hot streak: Including qualifiers, none of Basel’s last 21 UECL games have ended goalless!