Bayern Munich (0) v FC Basel (1)BAYERN MUNICH'S hopes of playing in a Champions League final in their own stadium will be hanging on a knife edge tonight as they face a 1-0 deficit against an FC Basel side unbeaten in their last 17 outings.

Despite thrashing Hoffenheim 7-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, Bayern are treading warily against Basel, who are attempting to become the first Swiss team to reach the last eight of Europe’s top club competition for 33 years.

“The win over Hoffenheim will give us some thrust,” said coach Jupp Heynckes ahead of the second leg of the round-of-16 tie.

“The game on Saturday was proof we can score goals. But Basel will not make it as easy as Hoffenheim,” said Heynckes who twice led Bayern to the semi-finals of the European Cup during a previous stint at the club which lasted from 1987-91.

Bayern, whose stadium hosts this year’s final, have won 11 of their last 12 European games at home, yet have made a habit of slipping up at the Allianz Arena at crucial moments. Three of their last four Champions League campaigns ended when they failed to win games on home turf.

Basel are unbeaten and have scored in every match away from home in the competition this season, their most impressive result being a 3-3 draw at Manchester United after trailing 2-0 at half-time.

Basel coach Heiko Vogel spent nine years working with Bayern’s youth team before moving to Basel as assistant to Thorsten Fink. He was giving the senior role last year after Fink left to join Hamburg SV.

After losing at home to Benfica on his debut, Vogel’s team has gone unbeaten for 17 games, beating Manchester United 2-1 to qualify for the knockout stages at their expense.

Vogel has repeatedly played down his Bayern connections. “It would be an unbelievable triumph if a Swiss team reached the quarter-finals and that should be the main thing. Beating Bayern Munich, my former employees, does not play a role,” he said.