Basel vs Ludogorets Razgrad preview - Ludogorets aiming to make history

Basle and Ludogorets could both move closer towards an unexpected place in the last-16 of the Champions League with victory at St Jakob Park on Tuesday night.

Real Madrid are clear at the top of Group B following three successive victories and are again expected to see off the challenge of Liverpool at the Bernabeu, having romped to a 3-0 win on Merseyside a fortnight ago.

The second qualification spot, however, appears very much up for grabs as heading into matchday four, the other teams are all locked on three points.

Ludogorets' 1-0 home success over Basle last time out - secured via a dramatic stoppage-time goal from defender Yordan Minev after the visitors were reduced to 10 men - was the first win by any Bulgarian side in the Champions League group stage.

It has left Ludogorets with renewed confidence they can upset the form book again.

Midfielder Marcelinho said: "It was historic for our small club, for our fantastic fans at the stadium and for all Bulgarians, now we are all up for more.

"We are level with Basle and Liverpool after three matches. Why can't we go through?"

Even with such optimism, the reality is progress through to the knockout stages for the unfashionable Eagles of Razgrad remains a tall order.

Basle - now back on top of the Raiffeisen Super League after beating Grasshoppers and Zurich's surprise defeat to bottom side Luzern - beat Liverpool at home on matchday two, with the return at Anfield on December 9 expected to be most likely to decide the runners-up spot.

Ludogorets, meanwhile, host the Reds at the end of November, before closing their group campaign in Madrid.

Basle coach Paulo Sousa said: "The group is very competitive, anything is possible.

"We still have two games at home, and our fans will be vital, like they were against Liverpool."

Ludogorets lost 2-0 on their previous visit to Basle last August as they were defeated 6-2 on aggregate by the Swiss side in the 2013/14 Champions League play-off round.

Defender Minev is suspended after picking up his third yellow card of the campaign on matchday three.

Basle, though, must do without midfielder Geoffroy Serey Die following his red card in Sofia and forward Marco Streller is sidelined with a slipped disc.

Midfielder Marcelo Diaz is available again after completing a three-game ban held over from a dismissal in the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Valencia.