Young Boys are hoping to inflict a Swiss double defeat on Merseyside opposition by knocking Everton out of the Europa League.Liverpool’s failure to defeat Basel in their final Champions League group match in December saw the Reds eliminated from Europe’s elite competition and now the Blues Berne-based opponents want to send Roberto Martinez’s side packing in the desire that they can draw Italian giants Inter Milan, rivals from across the Alps in the next round.
Young Boys sporting director Fredy Bickel said: “Ahead of the draw, they told me my mission was to come back with Inter Milan as our opponents. Still, I think they are very happy to be facing Everton.
“Everton are a club steeped in tradition with lots of fans.
“They are an attractive team to face. We hope we’ll be able to count on our fans once again for the game in Bern and that it will be a great occasion.”
Young Boys have actually got an Englishman in their line-up in the shape of right-back Scott Sutter who was born in Enfield, London, and grew up in Potters Bar.
The son of an English mother of Polish descent and a Swiss father, the 28-year-old is a Tottenham fan and back in 2006 he declared that he did not want to be considered for the Swiss national team squad because he wanted to play for England.
Sutter said: “It hit me when I was in a bar supporting England with all my mates, wearing my England shirt and I knew that the next week I was going to be playing for Switzerland. It just didn’t feel right. I was English.”
However, after battling back from a series ankle injury, Sutter made his international debut for Switzerland against Australia in September 2010 and has two caps.
He said: “Switzerland has given me so much. I went through so much with my injury and they gave me the opportunity to play.
“I would be stupid to turn it down because at one point I didn’t think I would play football again.
“Switzerland is my home but it is also out of gratitude. It is my way of giving something back.”
Sutter also gives an insight to the Swiss psyche, which is all very pleasant – unless you stick your motor where you shouldn’t.
He revealed: “It’s very relaxed over here – people are friendly and willing to help and are always polite and say ‘good morning’. “Everything is very organised also, which is good to an extent unless, for example, you park your car in the wrong place.”
Young Boys, formed in 1897, get their unusual English name from club founders Hermann Bauer, Franz Kehrli and brothers Max and Oscar Schwab – students at the University of Berne - who took inspiration from Basel’s BSC Old Boys.
The Old Boys, who also play in yellow and black, remain in the shadows of neighbours FC Basel who are reigning Swiss champions, having been relegated from the professional leagues in 1932 and currently play in the third tier of Swiss football.
By Chris Beesley, Liverpool Echo
