Aiming to round off their triumphant Swiss Super League campaign in style, Young Boys will welcome FC Winterthur to the Wankdorf Stadium in the final round of top-flight fixtures on Saturday.
The hosts sealed their 17th Super League title with a win over Servette on Monday, while their visitors have fallen to sixth spot in the Championship group with four straight defeats in the playoff stage.
Match preview
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Young Boys return to the Wankdorf Stadium on Saturday after sealing their second consecutive Swiss Super League title on Monday and the 17th in their history, with the aim of finishing on a high note with a third straight victory.
Under the temporary management of Joel Magnin since Raphael Wicky's early-March departure, the Bern outfit finished the regular season in top spot, six points clear of the chasing pack having earned 65 points from their 33 outings, and they would strengthen their claim further with a 2-0 triumph away at FC Zurich to kick off the playoff stage in the Championship group.
Their lead over Lugano was then reduced back to six points in a defeat to the second-placed side, but Magnin's side have since guaranteed top spot with back-to-back victories to bounce back and move out of sight, firstly triumphing 3-1 at home to St Gallen despite trailing at half time, as Meschak Elia levelled the scores and Cedric Itten netted a brace in the final 20 minutes.
Then needing a point to clinch the 17th title, the Swiss giants most recently visited Servette on Monday and picked up their 22nd league victory of the campaign, as Mohamed Camara netted the decisive goal 17 minutes from time.
Now sitting nine points clear at the summit heading into the final day, Young Boys will set out to end another dominant campaign on a high and top last season's tally with a third straight win.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, will fight to earn their first points of the playoff stage in their last attempts in Bern, having fallen short of continental qualification as a result of a tough run in the Championship group.
FC Winterthur did head into the five-game playoff in fifth spot, being the final Europa Conference League qualifying place available in the Swiss Super League, but they have since fallen well behind, suffering defeats in each of their four group outings, firstly losing 2-1 and 3-1 to FC Zurich and Servette respectively.
A trip to Lugano then followed, and Patrick Rahmen's side fell all but out of reach of the top five in a 4-2 defeat, despite going ahead through Aldin Turkes, before most recently hosting St Gallen on Monday and again coming away empty-handed.
Chadrac Akolo and Mattia Zanotti had the hosts 2-0 up in the first half, and after Nishan Burkart pulled one back in the 84th minute, Christian Witzig instantly responded with the visitors' third to put the contest out of sight.
Now confined to a sixth-placed finish, albeit with plenty of encouragement to take from reaching the Championship group after ending last season in ninth spot on their return to the top flight, FC Winterthur will bid to end on a high on Saturday and take an impressive scalp away at the crowned champions.
Team News
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Young Boys are set to head into the final day without winger Joel Monteiro, who has missed their last three matches through injury after netting 12 goals in 32 Swiss Super League appearances this term.
Their line will again be led by Cedric Itten, who has netted 13 goals across all competitions including 10 in the top flight to take his tally to 36 since arriving in Bern last summer, with Meschak Elia again set to join the Swiss international.
With defenders Loris Benito and Aurele Amenda also set to remain sidelined, Anel Husic is bound to again join Mohamed Camara at the heart of a back four, while Sandro Lauper and Lukasz Lakomy will both fight to keep their places at the base of the midfield.
Patrick Rahmen may opt to make several changes to his FC Winterthur side for their trip to Young Boys on Saturday, and winger Nishan Burkart should return from the outset, having moved onto a team-high tally of 12 goals for the season by scoring off the bench in each of their last two outings.
He may replace Matteo Di Giusto on the right-hand side and join Aldin Turkes and Sayfallah Ltaief in a front three, with the pair having netted 10 and nine goals of their own respectively this term.
Basil Stillhart and Luca Zuffi are mainstays at the base of the midfield, while Tobias Schattin may replace Remo Arnold at the base of the midfield after coming on at half time on Monday.
Young Boys possible starting lineup:
Racioppi; Janko, Camara, Husic, Persson; Lauper, Lakomy; Imeri, Mugisha; Elia, Itten
FC Winterthur possible starting lineup:
Keller; Gantenbein, Lekaj, Schattin, Luthi; Stillhart, Zuffi, Schneider; Bukart, Turkes, Ltaief
We say: Young Boys 3-0 FC Winterthur
Young Boys' superior quality has shown in the sides' contrasting runs of form in the Championship group, and after lifting the trophy following consecutive wins, we back them to outclass FC Winterthur and prevail on home turf on the final day in a third straight victory.
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Sam Varley
