Switzerland will play their final group match against European Championship hosts Germany on Sunday. Yellow cards, the pitch in Frankfurt and the possibility of winning the group are the topics ahead of the game.
The starting position
With four points, the Swiss national team is in a good starting position ahead of the third group game. A win against Germany would secure top spot in the group. In the round of 16 (Saturday, 21:00, in Dortmund), they would then face the runners-up from Group C (England, Serbia, Denmark or Slovenia). In the event of a draw, Switzerland would finish second in the group. In the round of 16 (Saturday, 18:00, in Berlin) they would face the runners-up from Group B (Italy, Croatia or Albania).
Things only get complicated if Switzerland lose to Germany and Scotland win heavily against Hungary in the parallel match. For example, if Switzerland lose 0:2, they will have four points and a goal difference of 4:4. If Scotland win 4:0, they will also have four points and an even goal difference (6:6). However, Scotland would be ahead of Switzerland due to the higher number of goals scored. In this case, Switzerland would still have a good chance of qualifying for the round of 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams in the group, but would have to wait for the results of the other groups.
The Swiss line-up
Before the final training session, in which all players took part, coach Murat Yakin and his assistant Giorgio Contini spoke at length with Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler. This could indicate that Freuler could once again line up in midfield alongside the captain despite the threat of suspension. Winger Ruben Vargas, meanwhile, has the disadvantage of having to complete an individual program in tactical training two days before the game due to a foot injury. Fabian Rieder or Steven Zuber, who has recovered from injury, could be an option for him. Defender Fabian Schär, meanwhile, seems to have coped well with the broken nose he suffered against Scotland.
It is notoriously difficult to predict Yakin's starting eleven. Sometimes the 49-year-old coach opts for players who played little or no part in the qualifiers, sometimes he does without a nominal striker. Another factor will be added against Germany: yellow cards. With Ricardo Rodriguez, Silvan Widmer, Vincent Sierro and Remo Freuler, four players are already cautioned. If they receive another caution, they would miss the round of 16. It remains to be seen to what extent Yakin will take this into account when making his line-up. It depends on whether he is aiming for the coup - i.e. winning the group - or wants to conserve his strength for the knockout phase. His statements clearly suggest the former.
This is what Murat Yakin says
"It's a prestigious duel and we want to present ourselves well," said Yakin at the press conference on the evening before the game. Even though Germany have already qualified for the knockout phase and Switzerland hardly have to worry, the 49-year-old attaches great importance to the match. "It's also about making the fans and the country proud."
Yakin emphasized that he has all the players at his disposal, is not afraid of a yellow card and therefore sees no reason to rest individual players. "We've filled every position twice," explained the Swiss national team coach in his relaxed manner. Last but not least, he is looking forward to the encounter with Julian Nagelsmann, whom he greatly appreciates. "I'm looking forward to the tactical comparison," said Yakin.
What Julian Nagelsmann says
Nagelsmann, at 36 the youngest of all the coaches at the European Championship, also knows that Yakin can annoy the opposition with special line-ups. "I think a lot of Murat, he has a good character. He's good to talk to about football." He described the Swiss team as the strongest opponent in the group stage due to the quality of the individual players. "However, the team has shown two very different halves in each of the two games so far," said Nagelsmann.
The pitch problem in Frankfurt also came up again. Nagelsmann compared the slippery surface to driving on summer tires in winter. "The fact that the quality of play could be affected is one thing, we can deal with that. But the risk of injury worries me." Nevertheless, he wants to start with the same starting eleven as before "to keep the players' rhythm up".
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That's it
The media conference is over, Yakin and Embolo leave the media center.
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Yakin on the fitness of Xherdan Shaqiri
"He's ready for action, we know his qualities. In the end, I'll decide when and how he can best help the team. "
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Embolo on his legal sideshows
"It was clear that this question would come up. I had a different focus. What had happened, or had happened, was in the past. You're always smarter with hindsight. But I'm here at the European Championship now and I'm happy to be here."
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Embolo on his confidence
"I was annoyed that I couldn't play. But I always looked ahead. I had two goals for the season. To score goals for the club and to be at the European Championships. "
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Embolo on his relationship with Yakin
"I have a different relationship with the coach. He made me a professional. We had a clear plan. I emphasized early on that the only positive thing after the cruciate ligament rupture was that I had the goal of being at the European Championships."
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Embolo on Switzerland as a party crasher
"We just wanted to show good games first. We're looking forward to Germany, they're always special games. I don't think you need motivation at a European Championship, you want to win every game."
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Yakin on the Germany line-up
"We are well prepared for all scenarios. I don't think we're only concerned with the opponent."
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Yakin on the poor pitch in Frankfurt
"We trained on very poor turf for a week, maybe there is a small advantage on our side."
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Embolo on a possible starting eleven appearance
"I'm ready, but I don't know myself yet whether I'll play. We won't know the line-up until tomorrow. Believe me."
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Embolo on whether the poor pitch plays a role.
"I was injured for nine months, came back, injured again. Now I'm just looking forward to playing football."
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Murat Yakin on Germany's key players
Yakin does not respond to the question, but explains: "Germany are spoilt for choice. The squad was performance-oriented. I'm impressed by the way Nagelsmann made his decision. There's a plan behind it everywhere. We don't just want to concentrate on the defense. Of course we have to control their offense. I think it will be an interesting duel."
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Murat Yakin on the game
"We want to show a good side in this prestigious duel. Everything else (the round of 16, ed.) is still a long way off. Focus on tomorrow's game, that's also important for the players. "
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Murat Yakin on the option of resting players
"We have two players in every position. There is no reason to rest players."
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Murat Yakin on the game against Germany
"I have all the players at my disposal. We managed the two games well. With four points, we certainly don't have the pressure of having to win at all costs. But of course we always play to win. We've all been looking forward to this game for weeks and months. The anticipation is huge."
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Hello ...
... and welcome to the live ticker for the national team media conference. Murat Yakin and Breel Embolo face the media the day before the thriller against Germany. It starts at 6.45 pm. SRF streams the MK live.
