Wicky has already pulled off the coup once: two Swiss manage to crack ManCity

class=”sc-29f61514-0 dXbCZE”>

In February 2018, Manchester City was not yet as powerful as it is now. Sure, they became champions in 2012 and 2014. But an era had not yet begun. It only started in 2018, when coach Pep Guardiola found the magic mix. The Citizens were starting to become a real big house number!

They showed that in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League, when they dismantled Basel with all possible tricks after the best group stage of all time for a Swiss team and blasted them out of St. Jakob-Park 4-0. . The second stage was all about the golden teapot. Or so. And yet: No City player likes to lose at home. Especially not the trainer. Not even a Test match. Before FCB arrived, the team had remained undefeated on home turf for the entire season that they would crown with the title.

Lacroix eliminated Sané

“Of course, some cracks were spared,” recalls Léo Lacroix (31), the defense tower, who describes this match, together with the 2015 cup final with Sion and the home match against the Citizens, as the absolute highlights of his career. “They were my only two competitions in the premier class,” laughs the Valais. ‘We played a great match. Of course we were mainly defending. But we created chances. And two were helpful.” In the end it is 2-1 for Basel thanks to goals from Elyounoussi, who can taste the premier league air again today at FC Copenhagen. And Michael Lang. Lacroix was also strong. And after all, he was dealing with contemporary Bayern superstar Leroy Sané.

The Wicky Plan

Basel had a clear plan at the time. “I remember that the video analyzes were absolutely great. Because what we saw there, we then found one on one on the field. The coach did a perfect job.” The coach? His name was Rafael Wicky. The plan went like this: “We played with a three-man defense. Our idea was to always win the ball back and then get out of City’s pressure zone as quickly as possible Mainly through Serey Die, who had the task of playing the next pass as quickly as possible.

That worked. And Lacroix, who studied Man City’s three defeats of the 2023 season against Arsenal, Brighton and Newcastle, found that nothing has changed.

Currently in Romania, dream destination Australia

Lacroix no longer has ambitions for the Champions League. Since this season he has been playing for FC U Craiova in Romania. He is a regular player in the current thirteenth team. He loves Romania. But he liked Australia even more. “The two years at Western United in Melbourne were incredible. The country is great, the city, Formula 1 stops there. World tennis too. Crazy!” And so he wants to go back down under next season, with his wife and his two children.

Two Valais in the Etihad

But first he’s looking forward to the YB match in Manchester. “The Berners did very well at home against City. Especially Meshack Elijah. If they are also brave in England, there is something in it.” And then there is the other Valais. The trainer. He knows how to win at the Etihad.

Source : Blick