Basel vs Juventus: prediction and odds

Juventus will kick off their pre-season preparations with a trip to Switzerland to face Basel, one of the most decorated clubs in the nation. This friendly encounter carries an extra layer of intrigue thanks to the man in the home dugout. The "RotBlau" are currently managed by Stephan Lichtsteiner – a true legend of the "Old Lady," who made 258 appearances for the Turin giants as a right-back.

Tactical Analysis: Basel’s Early Start and High Press

Basel have been in training for over a month. After a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, the club not only finished without a trophy but also missed out on a top-four spot in the Swiss league, ending in fifth place. This means European football will bypass the St. Jakob-Park this year, making this friendly against an Italian top-tier side all the more significant for the team and its supporters. This match is the final test before the new Super League season kicks off.

The "Red-Blues" have been in camp since June 15th and have played three friendlies with mixed results: a 3-0 victory over Rapperswil-Jona, a 0-3 defeat to Yverdon, and a 2-2 draw with Winterthur. In their last friendly, the hosts looked more energetic and committed to the trademark counter-pressing style Lichtsteiner is instilling – a clear sign that training loads have been reduced.

Basel did not have any players at the World Cup, allowing the squad to prepare uniformly for the upcoming Swiss season. The only real issues are on the left side of defense, which lost former captain Dominik Schmid, and in central midfield, where head coach Lichtsteiner is temporarily without key defensive midfielder Leo Leroy due to injury. The sale of left winger Benie Traore, however, should be a smooth transition. Returning from loan, Filip Otele has looked excellent and scored in the last friendly against Winterthur. Notably, Lichtsteiner fielded his strongest possible eleven in that match, and we expect the same for this dress rehearsal against Juve.

Tactical Analysis: Juventus’s Short Pre-Season and Thin Squad

Juventus stumbled to the finish line of the 2025/26 season, taking just one point from their final two matches and, as a result, missing out on Champions League qualification. Despite this, Luciano Spalletti remains at the helm, and we anticipate a full tactical rebuild this summer towards his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. However, the "Bianconeri" only returned from their holidays on July 13th, meaning they are unlikely to be anywhere near their best football in Switzerland. One could point to their perfect pre-season record from last summer (four wins in four friendlies), but those matches were played under the previous manager, Igor Tudor.

Furthermore, the "Old Lady" will travel to Basel with a heavily depleted squad. The most problematic position is center-forward. Dušan Vlahović has left the club upon the expiry of his contract, Jonathan David is on holiday following the World Cup, and the departure of Loïs Openda is all but finalized (with Coventry, Lyon, and Lens as the main suitors). This leaves Spalletti relying on the very young new signing Jeff Ekhator, who is clearly not a first-team starter for the coming season, and the "legend of the Turin infirmary," Arkadiusz Milik. Other key players not making the trip include Gleison Bremer, Weston McKennie, Kenan Yıldız, and Francisco Conceição (for the same reason as David). We expect their positions in the starting lineup to be filled by reserves and youth team players like Javier Gil, Douglas Luiz, Vasilije Adžić, and Edon Zhegrova.

Predicted Lineups

Basel (4-2-3-1): Omlin – Tsunemoto, Omeragic, Danilyuk, Cissé – Metinho, Malachowski – I. Salah, Shaqiri, Otele – Hunziker

• Unavailable: Do Nascimento, Sigua (both injured), Leroy (doubtful)
• Head Coach: Stephan Lichtsteiner

Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin – Kalulu, Gatti, Gil, Cambiaso – Locatelli, D. Luiz – Zhegrova, Adžić, Boga – Ekhator

• Unavailable: David, Bremer, McKennie, Yıldız, Conceição, Gonzalez, Koopmeiners (all not in the squad)
• Head Coach: Luciano Spalletti

Referee

The match officials for this friendly have not been specified in the source material.

Prediction and Bet

Main Prediction: Basel Double Chance (1X or Draw No Bet)

While the difference in class is significant, the hosts look the more likely side at this stage of pre-season. Basel begin their season much earlier (the Super League starts in a week, while Serie A doesn't begin until late August), and this friendly is the final step in their preparation for competitive matches. Lichtsteiner’s men are in far superior physical condition and are highly motivated to prove themselves against Italy’s most decorated club. Juventus, on the other hand, will arrive with a far-from-optimal squad and just five days after returning from their break. Under these conditions, we back the option "Basel not to lose."

Total Goals Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals

With no competitive pressure, two attack-minded teams should play with freedom and treat the fans to a flurry of goals. The average number of goals in Juventus’s last 20 matches stands at 2.8, while Basel have played "under" in just 1 of their last 11 games (and none of their summer friendlies). Therefore, as an additional betting option, we choose over 2.5 goals.