Crusaders are in Switzerland this evening as their UEFA Europa Conference League journey continues against FC Basel.

The Crues qualified for this second qualifying round tie following a 4-3 aggregate defeat of Gibraltarian side Bruno's Magpies, but will find their Swiss opponents a much tougher proposition.

They reached the last 16 of the Conference League a season ago, going out 4-2 on aggregate to Marseille after overcoming the likes of Ujpest Dozsa, Hammerby, Qarabag and Omonia Nicosia earlier in the competition.

Indeed, Basel have also reached the last 16 of the Champions League in the last decade and made it through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League as recently as 2020.

Coached by the legendary Alexander Frei, Basel finished runners-up in the Swiss Super League last season and kicked off the new campaign at the weekend with a 1-1 draw away to Winterthur.

Tonight's game will be played at the 38,000 capacity St. Jakob's Park, kick-off 6pm, with the return at Seaview next Thursday night.