Remo Freuler has a special connection to Serbia through his wife. The 32-year-old midfield partner of Granit Xhaka is looking ahead to the away game in Leskovac on Saturday.
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- The Swiss national team will play Serbia in the Nations League on Saturday and then host Denmark on Tuesday.
- "We're certainly not expecting the Danes with open arms," said Freuler at a media conference after the heated first leg. Among other things, the red card to Nico Elvedi was a talking point.
- Freuler said of the upcoming match against Serbia: "Of course there will be provocations, but they happen in every game on both sides." You know how to deal with them.
Remo Freuler, you are the oldest player in the current squad following the retirements of Yann Sommer, Fabian Schär and Xherdan Shaqiri. Has your role changed?
Not much has changed for me. It's more the players moving up who have to take on a new role.
And what about the new dynamic in the national team in general?
Resignations always bring changes, but resignations are also normal in football. Of course it's a shame when three deserving national team players retire at the same time. But as I said, it gives the young players a chance to prove themselves.
During the European Championships, people kept talking about the good atmosphere in the team. How do you experience it now?
The mood is still good. But of course we imagined a different start to the Nations League. To still be without points after two games is eating away at our pride. We want to put that right as quickly as possible and we'll have our next chance to do so on Saturday in Serbia.
Your wife has Serbian roots. How are you looking forward to the game in Leskovac?
In the family, I occasionally hear the saying that I'm not allowed to score against Serbia. These are the usual jokes. For me, it's a normal football match.
But the last time they met at the World Cup in Qatar, you did exactly that: you scored the winning goal to make it 3:2.
Exactly. The goal was a topic of conversation in the family for a long time. Most people say: It didn't have to be, but it's okay because you scored it.
Do you speak Serbian?
My wife often speaks Serbian with our children. I've also learned a few expressions through that.
They say it will be a normal football match. But the last two duels were characterized by provocations. What do you expect from the game on Saturday?
I hope and think that this time it's all about football. The only thing that matters to us is that we get points. Everything else is unimportant.
Your midfield partner Granit Xhaka in particular has been at the center of emotions recently. Will you have to take on the role of bodyguard in Serbia?
As I said, I don't think that will be necessary. It's a normal football match. Of course there will be provocations, but they happen in every game on both sides. We know how to deal with that.
The clash with Denmark in September was almost as emotional as the duels with Serbia. The "rematch" will take place on Tuesday. How big is the desire for revenge?
I wouldn't call it revenge. But we're certainly not expecting the Danes with open arms.
What were the lessons learned from the first two Nations League games?
We analyzed the two games well. It's very important that we get back to the defensive stability we showed at the European Championship. If you play to nil at the back, you have a good chance of winning the game. Because we're always good for a goal up front.
What is the key to this? Communication?
It starts up front. Every player has to perform their defensive duties and see them through to the end. Communication is also part of it, but it wasn't the main issue for us. It's important that we're ready to take on the duels for 90 minutes - especially mentally.
Nine games with Bologna, including two in the Champions League, and two games with the national team were on the program this season. You've practically always played through. What is the secret of your fitness?
It's good if you always play. Match practice helps your fitness. And then there are many other factors. A bit of luck, a bit of DNA, a bit of experience. The older you get, the better you know your body and how it reacts to different influences. What I can influence, I try to implement as well as possible.
You have a contract with Bologna until 2026. Do you have any ideas about how things should continue in Italy and in football in general after that?
I have ideas, but I prefer to keep them to myself.
