15.09.2014 20:50 h

Basel ready to challenge Madrid

Basel coach Paulo Sousa believes his side can trouble the established powers of Real Madrid and Liverpool in their quest to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League for just the second time in the club's history.

The Swiss champions open their Group B campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu, home of reigning champions Real, on Tuesday night before hosting Liverpool in two weeks' time.

"We are going to play against two teams that have won the competition 15 times," said Sousa, who won the competition twice as a player with Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.

"We want to build on what the club has done in the last five years, continue to progress and compete with the best."

Amazingly less than four months after lifting the Champions League for a tenth time in Lisbon, Real go into the game in crisis mode having lost two of their opening three La Liga games of the new campaign.

Basel shocked 2012 Champions League winners Chelsea twice in last season's group stage and Sousa is eyeing the possibility of piling on Real's pain with a historic win for his men at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"In clubs this big where there is always the need to win, these type of things can happen," said the 44-year-old former Portuguese international defensive midfielder.

"I am sure they are going to solve their problems, but I hope it will not be tomorrow.

"It is a game against the champions, the best team in Europe. We have to enjoy it and I'm sure we will."