- Manchester City carry a 4-0 lead into their Champions League clash with Basle
- The Swiss side face City at the Etihad Stadium in the second leg on Wednesday
- Head coach Raphael Wicky conceded his side are in a ‘difficult position’
- The Basle boss insisted his side will ‘enjoy’ the tie and ‘give their all’
Basle coach Raphael Wicky hopes his side can do themselves justice when they face Manchester City again on Wednesday.
The Swiss champions were thrashed 4-0 by the Premier League leaders when they met in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie last month.
Overturning that deficit in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium seems beyond even the most optimistic Basle supporter but Wicky wants to use the experience in a positive way.
Raphael Wicky lead what could be Basle’s last Champions League game this season
The Swiss side face a 4-0 deficit in their last 16 second leg clash with Manchester City
Wicky’s squad trained on the Etihad Stadium pitch ahead of Wednesday’s showdown
Wicky said of City: ‘At the moment they’re one of the best two teams in the world. I said that when the draw was made and they’ve confirmed that. They’ve maintained it and even improved their form.
‘I’ve talked to my team and said, ‘Look, it’s incredible Basle are still playing in Europe in the last 16 of the Champions League at the start of March.
‘We’ve worked hard to be here, we’re in a very difficult position but we have to enjoy this game, give our all and forget the first leg.
Wicky urged his side to ‘enjoy’ the clash despite the incredible deficit they face
The Basle boss said he would look ‘a bit daft’ if he encouraged his side to believe in a comeback
‘I could say, ‘You have to believe’ but it’d look a bit daft in front of the team. We have to set other targets. It starts 0-0 and we have to treat this as two halves and try to get something from the first half and see what happens.’
Since the last meeting City have won the Carabao Cup and moved even closer to claiming the Premier League crown having opened up a 16-point lead the top.
They have also been installed as favourites for the Champions League and Basle striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel is in no doubt they deserve that status.
The former Norwich player said: ‘They are doing an amazing job. They are one of the strongest teams in the world.
‘Their objective should be to win the Champions League. They have amazing qualities and they should be able to win all the titles this year.’
The Basle players should be proud to still be in Europe, according to head coach Wicky
Striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel claimed City have earned their status as competition favourites