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Zurich will host Lugano at the Letzigrund Stadion in the Swiss Super League on Saturday.
The hosts are coming off a 4-2 defeat to Basel at the same ground last weekend. Andi Zeqiri scored a brace for the visitors to help them claim all three points in the six-goal thriller.
Lugano, meanwhile, also suffered defeat in a high-scoring game of their own. They took an early lead through Zan Celar, but Jeremy Guillemenot, Christian Witzig and Lukas Gortler scored to help St Gallen to a 3-2 away win.
The defeat left Mattia Croci-Torti's side in eighth spot in the points table, having garnered six points from as many games. Meanwhile, Zurich's title defense has gone horribly off-script, as they find themselves languishing at the foot of the table with just two points accrued from six games.
Zurich vs Lugano Head-to-Head
The two teams have clashed on 129 occasions, with Zurich leading 51-48 in wins, while 30 games have ended in a share of the spoils.
Their most recent meeting came in May, where Jonathan Sabbatini's first-half brace helped Lugano to a 2-1 comeback victory at home.
Zurich form guide (all competitions): L-W-W-W-D
Lugano form guide (all competitions): L-W-L-L-L
Zurich vs Lugano Team News
Zurich
There are no known injury or suspension concerns for the hosts.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Lugano
Adrian Durrer, Kreshnik Hajrizi and Mickael Facchinetti have been ruled out with injury, while Mattia Bottani is a doubt.
Injured: Adrian Durrer, Kreshnik Hajrizi, Mickael Facchinetti
Doubtful: Mattia Bottani
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Zurich vs Lugano Predicted XIs
FC Zurich (3-5-2): Yanick Brecher (GK); Fidan Aliti, Mirlind Kryeziu, Lindrit Kamberi; Adrian Guerrero, Ole Selnaes, Antonio Marchesano, Blerim Dzemaili, Nikola Boranijasevic; Donis Avdijaj, Tosin Aiyegun
Lugano (4-3-3): Amir Saipi (GK); Milton Valenzuela, Reto Ziegler, Fabio Daprela, Allan Arigoni; Jonathan Sabbatini, Ousmane Doumbia, Mohamed Mahmoud; Maren Haile-Selassie, Zan Celar, Hicham Mahou
$1,100 First Bet Insurance at Caesars
Zurich vs Lugano Prediction
Zurich have had a disastrous start to the season and are already in an early relegation scrap rather than the title race fans would have envisioned.
Despite their poor form, the holders have enough quality to turn things around. Lugano know Zurich are there for the taking, but their expansive style could play to their hosts' advantage. Zurich should claim a narrow victory in a high-scoring game.
Prediction: Zurich 3-2 Lugano
