Manchester City welcome the visit of Basel to the Etihad in the last 16 of the Champions League having amassed a dominant 4-0 lead during the first leg.
The Swiss visitors will be hoping for something special on the road as they aim to turn around a problematic deficit and rewrite some poor form when competing in England.
Manchester City
© OffsidePep Guardiola's side come into the home leg having dismantled Basel 4-0 in Switzerland and barely moved out of second gear during that comfortable win at St. Jakob-Park.
For much of the season City have made light work of both domestic and European competition and they continued their march towards Premier League success on Sunday following an embarrassingly languid victory over Antonio Conte's beleaguered Chelsea.
The four-goal advantage might seem like an opportunity for Guardiola to rest a number of key men, but it would not be unlike the Spanish coach to opt to get the job done in style at the Etihad.
There are of course positives in City not allowing any drop in standards this week, as they will be hoping to carry as much confidence into the quarter-finals as possible, while a potential defeat at home would mark the club's first of the season.
The Etihad has proven to be a safe haven for City for a while in the Champions League and Guardiola's side have now won seven of their last eight home European matches, including the last four.
Central to the club's success this term has been Guardiola's ability to make minor, but effective, adjustments in Europe, where the likes of both Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva have shone of late.
Not only does the Citizens' goal difference indicate safe progression, but history does too. City have never failed to win a European tie after claiming an away victory during the first leg.
Wednesday evening could turn out to be a memorable one for the in-form Sergio Aguero. The Argentine frontman has 15 goals in 15 games in all competitions this year and now requires just one more to become the first player to notch 200 for the Sky Blues.
Recent form: WWDWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWWW
Basel
© OffsideThe Swiss club's European fortunes had looked promising following a standout showing in the groups stages, where Basel finished just behind Jose Mourinho's Manchester United in second spot.
That run in the group saw Basel earn 12 points from six games, which represents their highest total in a Champions League group stage. The run, however, did not prepare them for a sublime City showing in Switzerland, despite the club already beating their Manchester rivals at St. Jakob-Park in Group A.
The records suggest that overturning City's lead could be a rather futile task for Basel. The club have lost all 11 of their UEFA competition contests when they have been beaten at home during the first leg.
One man who does have rather fond memories of England, however, is midfielder Fabian Frei. The Swiss international has scored six European goals and three of those have been bagged in England.
Domestically, Raphael Wicky's charges are coming into the game in a spot of bother after suffering two defeats on the bounce, having lost 2-0 at home to St Gallen in the Swiss Super League, before being beaten by the same scoreline by Young Boys in the semi-finals of the Swiss Cup.
The club's record since the turn of the year has been generally problematic for Wicky, given that Basel have lost four of their five games in 2018, without scoring in any of them. Added to that, the Swiss side have also had a number of league games postponed because of pitch conditions.
The postponements might have given this Basel side a slight rest, although Wicky is still being left to sweat on the fitness of key centre-back Eder Balanta who has featured in six Champions League outings this term.
Dimitri Oberlin finds himself in fine form in the competition with four goals to his name, but the weight of away history combined with City's four-goal advantage might just leave the task of reaching the quarters a little beyond Wicky's men.
Recent form: WWWLWL
Recent form (all competitions): WLWLLL
Team News
© SilverHubIt still remains to be seen as to whether Guardiola will make wholesale changes, although both Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho are sidelined through injury.
Raheem Sterling is also doubtful with a hamstring issue, meaning Silva could operate further forward in order to hand a chance to young Phil Foden in midfield alongside Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne.
Guardiola has a decision to make in whether to allow Aguero to push for his record tally from the off, or instead start Gabriel Jesus as he aims to continue his recovery from a lengthy layoff.
Should Balanta miss out, Taulant Xhaka will likely continue as part of a back-three alongside Leo Lacroix and Marek Suchy for Basel.
The in-form Oberlin should feature up top with further attacking support provided by Renato Steffen and Mohamed Elyounoussi.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Bravo; Danilo, Stones, Kompany, Delph; Foden, Toure, De Bruyne; Silva, Jesus, Sane
Basel possible starting lineup:
Vaclik; Xhaka, Lacroix, Suchy; Lang, Zuffi, Die, Petretta; Steffen, Oberlin, Elyounoussi
Head To Head
The opening leg was the first time these two sides met as City humbled the hosts in Switzerland. Basel's record against English teams when competing in England has seen the club win just once and that came against Tottenham Hotspur on penalties during the 2012-13 Europa League quarter-finals. The club have also lost eight and drawn five on English soil. This last-16 meeting with Basel represents City's first tie against Swiss opposition.
We say: Manchester City 2-0 Basel
Basel do not have the best of records when competing in England and City will fancy themselves to earn another home victory at the Etihad. Guardiola will likely make a few changes, but the coach will undoubtedly back his side to get the job done courtesy of another comfortable margin at home.
