Level on points in the Swiss Super League's final two Europa Conference League qualifying spots, St Gallen and FC Zurich will do battle at Kybunpark in the final round of fixtures on Saturday.
Thanks to a run of three straight wins in the playoff Championship group, the visitors currently occupy fourth spot but only lead their hosts on goal difference heading into the weekend.
Match preview
St Gallen head into the final day of the Swiss Super League campaign aiming to regain their top-four spot, having fallen narrowly behind in recent weeks while guaranteeing their Europa Conference League qualifying place for next season.
The Espen finished the regular season in fourth spot in the top flight on 50 points from 33 outings, one ahead of Winterthur and two better off than Saturday's visitors, and they extended that lead in the European race by kicking off the playoff group with a 1-0 victory away at Lugano.
That saw Peter Zeidler's side head into the final four games of the campaign with a healthy cushion, and they have been able to stay clear of sixth spot despite then facing a tougher run, having added just one more point to their tally in the following two attempts in a draw with Servette and a 3-1 defeat away at champions Young Boys.
Already guaranteed a top-five finish nonetheless and trailing FC Zurich on goal difference, the Espen most recently met Winterthur on Monday knowing a three-point haul was required to keep their top-four hopes intact ahead of the final day, and they succeeded in returning to winning ways as Chadrac Akolo, Mattia Zanotti and Christian Witzig netted goals in a 3-1 away triumph.
Thanks to that result, St Gallen head into the weekend still trailing their visitors by only the barest of margins, knowing a victory would see that leap back into the top four and seal a highest league finish since 2020 before returning to continental competition next term.
Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip aiming to end the campaign with a fourth straight win and seal a top four finish after finding themselves eighth at the end of a disappointing 2022-23 campaign.
Following back-to-back defeats in their last two outings of the regular season, FC Zurich headed into the Swiss Super League playoff stage in sixth spot, albeit only one point outside of the European qualifying spots, and their cause was not helped by a 2-0 loss to Young Boys in the Championship group opener under the new temporary management of Ricardo Moniz.
They have since bounced back in style, though, guaranteeing a Europa Conference League qualifying place and taking fourth spot with three straight victories in the Swiss top flight, firstly leapfrogging Winterthur with a 3-1 away win thanks to goals from Armstrong Okoflex, Nikola Katic and Amadou Dante, before Antonio Marchesano and Bledian Krasniqi found the net in a comeback 2-1 win at home to Servette.
Then leading St Gallen on goal difference ahead of the final two outings, FCZ most recently hosted Lugano on Monday and continued their impressive upturn in form, having gone two goals ahead through Lindrit Kamberi and Jonathan Okita before standing strong in the dying embers after Yanis Cimignani pulled one back for their visitors.
Having now sealed a return to the European stage and moved into pole position for a fourth-placed finish, FC Zurich will now bid to make it four straight victories to end their campaign in style at the weekend.
Team News
St Gallen should be unchanged from Monday's 3-1 win away at FC Winterthur on Monday, with Chadrac Akolo bound to again lead the line having netted his 13th Swiss Super League goal of the season in that triumph.
He should partner 18-year-old Jovan Milosevic with Bastien Toma offering further attacking support in a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 setup, while Christian Witzig has contributed five goals and eight assists of his own in 32 appearances from midfield this term.
Jordi Quintilla will continue at the base of the midfield, while Chima Okoroji will again get the nod alongside mainstay Albert Vallci in the centre of a back four.
FC Zurich could also be unaltered after a third straight win last time out, with Jonathan Okita having marked his return to the starting XI with an 11th league goal of the season to double their lead in the meeting with Lugano.
With 12 goals in all competitions, he sits level with advanced midfielder Antonio Marchesano at the top of their scoring charts, while the Italian has also contributed four assists this term.
Behind him, Ifeanyi Mathew, Cheick Conde and Bledian Krasniqi should continue in the engine room while Nikola Katic and Mirlind Kryeziu will again partner up at the heart of the defence.
St Gallen possible starting lineup:
Ati Zigi; Zanotti, Vallci, Okoroji, Schmidt; Quintilla; Gortler, Witzig; Toma; Milosevic, Akolo
FC Zurich possible starting lineup:
Brecher; Kamberi, Katic, Kryeziu, Dante; Matthew, Conde, Krasniqi; Marchesano; Okita, Afriyie
We say: St Gallen 1-1 FC Zurich
With fourth spot hanging in the balance, we anticipate a close-fought encounter at Kybunpark on Saturday and see the in-form visitors having enough to stay just in front with a share of the points on their travels.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
