Freuler looks forward to an exciting end to the season

He could become the Swiss player with the most appearances in Serie A. Remo Freuler is eight appearances short of equaling Stephan Lichtsteiner's record of 301 games. And a glance at the fixture list shows: There are exactly eight games left on the program until the end of the season. He has already left Blerim Dzemaili (280 games), Valon Behrami and Gökhan Inler (259 each) in his wake.

For the midfielder, it would be a "nice to have", but nothing more. At the press conference in Horben, he says that the potential record was not really on his radar. Nevertheless, it should fill him with pride and satisfaction, as few people thought he would have such a career at the beginning.

Difficult start to his career

Instead of establishing himself at Grasshoppers, Freuler was first loaned out to Winterthur in the Challenge League and then permanently released. He made his return to the Super League in 2013 with a move to FC Luzern. Freuler played in central Switzerland for two and a half seasons before moving to Serie A side Atalanta Bergamo.

It was only when he became a regular there that he also became an issue for the Swiss national team. Shortly before his 25th birthday, Freuler received his first call-up and played his first six minutes as an international in a test match against Latvia.

But even there, Freuler needs patience. Although he was taken along to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he did not get a minute of action. It was only after Behrami's retirement that Freuler made regular appearances and quickly became a permanent fixture.

The 33-year-old has now made 84 international appearances and provides the all-important stability in the team in defensive midfield alongside captain Granit Xhaka. Coach Murat Yakin describes them both as "absolute leaders" who make the team better through their presence alone.

Super League is not an issue

The fact that he had to fight harder than others for recognition was sometimes noticeable. He now appears more relaxed, having become a father for the third time at the beginning of the year. Even when it comes to his expiring contract with Bologna.

He remains tight-lipped about his plans for the future. "I have a few plans in mind, but what exactly will happen will become clear in the summer." What is clear is that he can imagine staying in Italy. He feels at home there and speaks the language fluently. Nevertheless, he wants to "look at all the options".

However, he rules out a return to the Super League, as others his age have already done. That is not an issue "at the moment".

Focus on the end of the season

First of all, he wants to make his contribution to a successful end to the season anyway. Bologna, who suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Lazio Roma on Sunday, are stuck in mid-table. The European Cup places have receded into the distance.

However, the Rossoblu are still in the race for the Europa League title after their dramatic victory over AS Roma in the round of 16. They will face Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. After the club ended a 51-year drought without a major title win last year with victory in the Cup, this would be the next coup. "Of course, it's a dream come true to experience moments like that again," says Freuler.

Looking forward to test matches

First up, however, are the two appearances for the national team. Test matches in the spring, when the championship has been going on for a while and an intensive final spurt is imminent, are often not particularly attractive for the players. This time, however, two strong and exciting opponents await the Swiss: Germany and Norway. Freuler speaks of "nice duels", a "derby" with Germany and an "interesting comparison" with Norway, who have played a "super qualification".

This will be Freuler's third World Cup, his second as a regular player - should nothing unforeseen happen. He needed patience, but people everywhere now know what they have in Freuler.