Mercenary check Akanji initiates City's downfall ++ Elvedi scores in his own goal ++ Embolo shines

3.2.2025

Who shone, who fell away? blue Sport follows the performances of the Swiss mercenaries very closely.

🇩🇪 Bundesliga

 

Bayer Leverkusen

Granit Xhaka

Leverkusen return to winning ways after the draw against Leipzig. Xhaka the usual safe support. Part of a Bundesliga premiere in the 3-1 win against Hoffenheim: In the 23rd minute, referee Robin Braun cancels a foul penalty after consulting the VAR, he tells the crowd the reasons for the decision: "Kick was reviewed. According to the pictures, there was an offside position. Therefore the decision is: No penalty kick, offside," the Bayarena loudspeakers announced.


 

Dortmund

Gregor Kobel

BVB's first full success after four games without a win in a row. In the 2:1 win against Hoffenheim, Kobel makes all the saves he can. He backed up his backline as Heidenheim vehemently went in search of a goal. He has no chance when conceding the goal.


 

Gladbach

Jonas Omlin

Sits on the bench for the 2:1 win against Stuttgart. Moritz Nicolas stands in front of him, who once again puts in a strong performance.


 

Gladbach

Nico Elvedi

Gladbach keep the upper hand against Stuttgart. In the first half, Elvedi and Co. hardly let the Swabians get away with anything, only an own goal from the Nati defender shortly after the break (1:1). Elvedi straddled a Jacob Bruun Larsen pass before unfortunately pushing the ball over the line with his left foot in the same scene. It was his first own goal in his 274th Bundesliga match. However, Gladbach regained the lead in the 81st minute and went on to win 2-1. Gerardo Seoane's team moved up the table and are now just three points off a Champions League place (7th).


 

Mainz 05

Silvan Widmer

Mainz stumbled at Werder Bremen. In the 1-0 defeat in northern Germany, Widmer once again played as a substitute. He was on the pitch for nine minutes. Can no longer avert the defeat.


 

Stuttgart

Fabian Rieder

Sits on the bench against Gladbach for the time being. He is called upon from the 80th minute when the score is 1:1. One minute after his substitution, however, his opponent scores the winning goal and inflicts VfB's third defeat in a row.


 

Stuttgart

Leonidas Stergiou

Plays through at full-back. Borussia Mönchengladbach are one step too far for VfB on Saturday.


 

Augsburg

Cédric Zesiger

Is available again for Augsburg after a yellow card suspension, but was not part of the squad for the 1-1 draw against St. Pauli. His thigh is currently bothering him.


 

Frankfurt

Aurèle Amenda

Is still waiting for his first competitive match since his recovery. On the bench the weekend before and in the Europa League, Amenda was missing from the squad for the 1-1 draw against Wolfsburg.


 

Freiburg

Bruno Ifechukwu Ogbus

Never called up for the matchday squad since the end of November.


 

Freiburg

Johan Manzambi

The situation is different for 19-year-old Manzambi compared to Ogbus. The Geneva-born player makes a mini appearance against Bochum and is substituted in the 90th minute. Freiburg hold on to their 1-0 lead.


🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Premier League

 

Manchester City

Manuel Akanji

Arsenal really slapped the Citizens in the face. After four wins from six league games, the champions seemed to have found their feet again. In London, Akanji and Co. were thrashed 5-1. Akanji himself initiated the downfall of Guardiola's team. In the 2nd minute, the defender lost the ball in build-up play and Arsenal took full advantage, with Odegaard scoring to give them the lead. Erling Haaland's 1:1 in the meantime was of little use to City in the final analysis.


 

Newcastle

Fabian Schär

Newcastle lose 2-1 to Fulham, with Schär's attacking drive leading to one or two chances for the Magpies. One move in which he gets his feet in the game ends with Aleksander Isak's shot hitting the crossbar. Newcastle fail to capitalize on Manchester City's defeat and move up to fourth place (Champions League spot).


🇮🇹 Serie A

 

Inter Milan

Yann Sommer

Derby Della Madonnina for Sommer. Strong save from a powerful finish from Milan's Reijnders. He fished the ball out of the corner in the 38th minute. A little later, he had to admit defeat. Sommer allows a cross from Rafael Leao to rebound. Reijnders is in the right place and concedes Inter's 19th goal in 22 games. In the 93rd minute, Inter's De Vrij scores a late equalizer to secure a point for the Nerazzurri. Inter are now three points behind Napoli in second place in the table with one game less.


 

AC Milan

Noah Okafor

His services are only required on the bench against Inter Milan.


 

Bologna

Michel Aebischer

Aebischer is back with the northern Italians after his injury. He is still on the bench for the 2-0 win against Como.


 

Bologna

Dan Ndoye

Is in the spotlight on his right wing against Como in the 38th minute. The whirlwind wins the ball and immediately initiates the counter-attack. He sprints forward across half the pitch and passes to Thijs Dalling in the middle. The Dutchman's shot hits the crossbar. After that, Ndoye remains inconspicuous. He was sent off in the 52nd minute with a yellow card. Bologna win 2:0 and are seventh in the table.


 

Bologna

Remo Freuler

Radiates a lot of energy in midfield after not traveling to Lisbon for the Champions League with Sporting. Played throughout the 2-0 win over Como. 36 of his 43 passes reach his teammates.


 

Empoli

Nicolas Haas

Empoli lose 4-1 at Juve, with Haas still missing through injury.


 

Parma

Simon Sohm

Parma slipped to a relegation place against Lecce. Sohm wears the captain's armband in the 3-0 defeat and plays through. Italian media write: Stays true to his position in midfield without looking for open spaces.


🇪🇸 LaLiga

 

Betis Sevilla

Ricardo Rodriguez

Rodriguez is back in the Andalusian squad after an injury absence. Sits on the bench for 90 minutes in the 2-2 draw against Bilbao.

 

Sevilla

Djibril Sow

Plays through in midfield. Does so without convincing. Sevilla draw 0-0 against Getafe.


 

Sevilla

Ruben Vargas

Is less effective on his left wing than in previous games. Nevertheless, he underlines his ambition to create chances and goals for Sevilla. He does not finish his actions as desired in the 0-0 draw against Getafe.


 

Real Valladolid

Eray Cömert

Is he on the sidelines at the bottom of the table? Not in the squad for the third game in a row in the 5-1 defeat to Villareal.


🇫🇷 Ligue 1

 

AS Monaco

Philipp Köhn

In the 4-2 win against Auxerre, Köhn only puts on the warm-up shirt. He sits on the bench during the game.


 

AS Monaco

Denis Zakaria

Pulls the strings in midfield as captain. Gets a yellow card shortly before the break. During a corner kick in his own penalty area, he tugs on the shirt of opponent Jubal, who falls to the ground. This action also results in a penalty. However, the goal to make it 1-2 was not enough for Auxerre to defeat Monaco. Monaco win 4-2 and remain third in the table.


 

AS Monaco

Breel Embolo

Something changes in Monaco's attack at the change of ends: Breel Embolo comes in. The international striker immediately shone with assists to make it 2:2 and 4:2. Meanwhile, team-mate Mika Biereth scored a hat-trick in eight minutes and ten seconds.

Embolo, who assists twice, and hat-trick scorer Mika embrace.
Embolo, who assists twice, and hat-trick scorer Mika embrace.
IMAGO/Sipa USA

 

Marseille

Ulisses Garcia

The full-back came on in the 89th minute of the 3-2 win against Lyon. The result remains the same.


 

Toulouse

Vincent Sierro

Sierro is not in the squad for the 1-1 draw against Nice due to a calf injury.


 

Montpellier

Becir Omeragic

Montpellier's "winning streak" snapped against Lens. The last two wins in a row allowed Montpellier to dream of staying in the league, but they lost 2-0 against Lens. Omeragic plays in midfield.


 

Montpellier

Gabriel Barès

Is not in the Montepellier squad.


 

Stade Brest

Edimilson Fernandes

Brest were beaten 5-2 by leaders PSG. Edimilson is on the pitch from the 77th minute, too little to stand out on Saturday evening.


More Swiss players abroad

 

Benfica Lisbon

Zeki Amdouni

Benfica remain six points behind leaders Sporting in their 20th game. Amdouni played from the 80th minute in the 3-2 win against Estreal Amadora. All the goals were scored before his substitution.


 

Feyenoord Rotterdam

Jordan Lotomba

Feyenoord are still missing through injury. The fifth-placed team in the Dutch league lost 2-1 against Ajax.


 

Fortuna Sittard

Ryan Fosso

Played from the start in the 2-2 draw against Heerenveen. He makes his way to the substitutes' bench after 88 minutes.


 

Bruges

Ardon Jashari

Bitter pill for Bruges and Ardon Jashari in the fight for the league title. Bruges conceded their fourth defeat of the season in a 2-1 loss to Royal Antwerp. The gap to first-placed Genk grows to six points. Jashari plays through.


 

Standard Liège

Andi Zeqiri

After two consecutive games with one goal each in the 1:1 draw against Cercle Brugge without scoring. Replaced in the 75th minute.


 

KAA Gent

Franck Surdez

Absent from the squad for the 1-0 win against Anderlecht. With the win, Gent move into the top 6 (championship round).


 

Sturm Graz

Gregory Wüthrich

Fails in the quarter-finals of the Austrian Cup against Austria Vienna (0:2). Wüthrich plays in central defense.


 

RB Salzburg

Bryan Okoh

As with Wüthrich, the quarter-final in the Cup was also the end of the line for Okoh. The only difference between the two: Okoh is not in the squad for the 2-1 defeat against LASK.


Lorient remain leaders in Ligue 2, but Mvogo was beaten in the 66th minute of their 2-1 win over Red Star.


 

Greuter Fürth

Noah Loosli

What a debut for Noah Loosli! Having been sidelined at Bochum for some time, he was transferred to Greuter Fürth on loan last week. Loosli played from the start in the back three and scored the goal that made it 2-0, rising highest to head in a corner kick. Loosli becomes the match-winner in the 2:1 win against Paderborn.


 

HSV (Bundesliga 2)

Miro Muheim

HSV have to do without Miro Muheim due to a yellow card suspension. After the 2-2 draw against Hannover, Hamburg have to make way for 1. FC Köln at the top of the table.


 

HSV (Bundesliga 2)

Silvan Hefti

Stepped into the breach for the suspended Muheim and made an immediate impact as a substitute. In the 15th minute, Hefti takes a shot from the edge of the penalty area with his right foot and fires the ball into the bottom right-hand corner. "My family was in the stadium. That was a very nice moment. Of course I would have preferred to celebrate with three points, but I'm proud to have scored a goal," said Hefti after the 2:2, according toBild. Like Loosli, he is in the kicker eleven of the matchday.


 

1. FC Kaiserslautern (Bundesliga 2)

Jan Elvedi

Lautern remain in the race for promotion. FCK win 2:1 against Münster. Two points separate the former top club from the top of the table. Elvedi plays in the back three.


 

Karlsruher SC (Bundesliga 2)

Andrin Hunziker

Hunziker is also missing for KSC in the 2-2 draw against Elversberg due to a hip injury.


 

Karlsruher SC (Bundesliga 2)

Noah Rupp

Joined Stade Lausanne-Ouchy on loan at the end of January after making just one appearance for KSC in the league this season.


 

Schalke 04 (Bundesliga 2)

Adrian Gantenbein

Gantenbein scores as a wild card. The defender came on as a substitute in the 46th minute and scored in the 69th minute to make it 1:4, but the deficit was too high at this point for the Royal Blues to take anything worthwhile home. Schalke lose 2:5 against Magdeburg.


 

SSV Ulm 1846 (Bundesliga 2)

Aaron Keller

After Loosli, Hefti and Gantenbein, Keller also scores in the 2nd Bundesliga. His goal in the 13th minute to make it 1:1 gives Ulm a glimpse of a point. The game against Düsseldorf was ultimately lost 2:3. Ulm remains stuck in the relegation places.


 

1st FC Cologne

Anthony Racioppi

Hopes for more playing time with his new loanee 1. FC Köln than with Hull City, where he has not made a single league appearance this season. He is not (yet) in the squad for the Geissböcken's 2-1 win over Braunschweig.


 

Queens Park Rangers (Championship)

Michael Frey

Did not score in the 2-1 defeat against Millwall. Comes off the bench in the 76th minute.


 

Leeds United (Championship)

Isaac Schmidt

Not part of the squad for the 7-0 win against Cardiff. Leeds remain Championship leaders.


 

OFK Belgrade

Filip Stojilkovic

Will kick off the second half of the season against Radnicki on Monday evening.


 

NK Osijek

Petar Pusic

Takes a seat on the bench in the 2:1 win against Dinamo Zagreb.


 

NK Osijek

Kemal Ademi

Like Pusic, Ademi also sits out for 90 minutes.


 

Universitatea Cluj

Jasper van der Werff

Cluj win 2-1 against Rapid Bucuresti, with Van der Werff playing through as usual and extending their lead over FCSB in the table to two points as their closest rivals draw with CFR Cluj.


 

Al-Nasr

Haris Seferovic

At the end of January, Seferovic completed a move within the UAE Pro League and signed a contract until the summer. On his debut for Al-Nasr (not to be confused with the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr), Seferovic was on the pitch from the 59th minute and celebrated a 2:1 victory over Al-Orooba with his club. The goals were scored before Seferovic's substitution. Al-Nasr are third in the table (25 points), with Al-Sharjah leading the way (37 points) and Seferovic's former employers Al-Wasl in eighth place (18 points).


 

Al-Qadsiah (Saudi Pro League)

Cameron Puertas

Al-Qadsiah drew 1-1 against Al-Fateh, with Puertas playing in attacking midfield. With Al-Qadsiah, he has to concede third place to Ronaldo's Al-Nassr, who win 2-1 against Al-Raed.

 

Boca Juniors

Lucas Blondel

Not in the squad for Boca's 2-1 win over Huracan. But will he soon be part of the Swiss national team? Murat Yakin recently traveled to the Argentinian capital to meet the right-back.