Swiss Super League champions Young Boys kick off their 2023-24 campaign with a home clash against Lausanne Sport at the Wankdorf Stadium on Sunday.
The visitors have bounced right back to the top flight after suffering relegation during 2021-22.
Match preview
Young Boys returned to the summit of Swiss football last season to claim a fifth title in six seasons at a canter.
Zurich had briefly stopped their period of dominance, but Raphael Wicky's side wrestled back the league crown, winning the title by a huge margin of 16 points.
Their form at home in Bern was a huge factor in them running away at the top, as they went the whole season unbeaten at the Wankdorf, with 14 wins and four draws from their 18 fixtures on home soil.
Not since a defeat to Zurich on their way to the title in March 2022 have Young Boys been beaten here - a run stretching back 22 matches.
Young Boys were held by Lausanne in their last league meeting here though, drawing 2-2 late in the campaign when the visitors were cut a long way adrift at the bottom two seasons ago.
The recently crowned Swiss champions showcased the gulf in quality when the sides met last season though, in the last 16 of the cup, where Young Boys won 5-1 on their way to lifting the trophy and completing a domestic double.
The start to the campaign is kind to the champions, as they face all three promoted sides and Luzern and Winterthur, who both struggled last season, in their opening five games.
Wicky's side will look to use these early season encounters to prepare themselves for the upcoming Champions League playoff they will play in late August.
For Lausanne, it will be a baptism of fire for them on their return to the top flight, coming to a venue where nobody has won in almost 18 months.
While defeat is to be expected, the supporters will hope the side put in a more hardened effort to survive relegation than they did in 2021-22.
The club went down with just 22 points from 36 games, but bouncing right back suggests they may have the ability to mount a solid challenge to stay up.
Lausanne edged out local rivals Lausanne-Ouchy to the final automatic promotion place with a draw on the final day at Aarau.
Having been behind their local rivals heading into the final month of the season, strong form saw them leapfrog them into second, but after Ouchy's win in the promotion playoff, they were promoted anyway, so there will be a Lausanne derby in the top flight this season.
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Team News
Young Boys have a few injury concerns ahead of the season's curtain raiser, with goalkeeper David Von Ballmoos expected to remain out with a knee injury.
Miguel Chiawa is also nursing a calf injury, so numbers in defence are dwindling, after Cedric Zesiger joined Wolfsburg and Kevin Ruegg returned to Hellas Verona.
Saidy Janko has arrived to alleviate those worries, joining from Real Valladolid on a permanent deal after spending the 2019-20 season here on loan.
Promising Polish midfielder Lukasz Lakomy could also make his competitive debut after arriving from Zaglebie Lubin and scoring twice in a recent friendly versus Hertha Berlin.
Lausanne have also strengthened ahead of their return to the Super League, adding Basel forward Mamadou Kaly Sene who is expected to start up front after scoring in all three friendlies since his arrival.
Noe Dussenne is another eye-catching arrival, coming in from Standard Liege after scoring five goals from defence for the Belgian club last season.
Nice loanee Rares Ilie is expected to feature as well, as the Romanian has played 90 minutes in back-to-back friendlies ahead of the season opener.
Young Boys possible starting lineup:
Racioppi; Janko, Lustenberger, Camara, Benito; Fassnacht, Lakomy, Niasse, Rieder; Nsame, Meschack
Lausanne Sport possible starting lineup:
Castella; Dabanli, Dussenne, Husic; Giger, Bernede, Sanches, Custodio, Ilie; Balde, Sene
We say: Young Boys 3-0 Lausanne Sport
Young Boys should have no problem continuing their exceptional home form in this season opener.
Lausanne were thrashed on home soil by Young Boys last season in the cup, and will likely look to restrict their hosts to very little in attack while hitting on the break.
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Top tip
Andrew Delaney
