Switzerland are a facet which has constantly punched above their weight at main tournaments, having progressed from their group at their final 4 main tournaments.
While they beforehand fell on the first hurdle come the knockout-stages, final yr’s European Championships had been a unique story as they shocked world champions France within the last-16, progressing on penalties after an exciting 3-3 draw through which Granit Xhaka was the star of the present.
Last day out on the world stage, the Swiss progressed to the last-16 however got here a cropper to Sweden by a solitary objective. Similarly in 2014, a last-minute Angel Di Maria magnificence resulted in a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina within the first knockout spherical.
There shall be a well-recognized really feel in Qatar for the Swiss, with two of their group opponents from 2018 – Brazil and Serbia – matched up with them once more, with the addition of Cameroon this time spherical.
Here is every thing it is advisable know:
Group fixtures (all instances GMT)
Thursday 24 November: Switzerland vs Cameroon – 10:00
Monday 28 November: Brazil vs Switzerland – 16:00
Friday 2 December: Serbia vs Switzerland – 19:00
Confirmed squad
Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Kohn (RB Salzburg), Jonas Omlin (Montpellier), Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Manchester City), Eray Comert (Valencia), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ricardo Rodriguez (Torino), Fabian Schar (Newcastle United), Silvan Widmer (Mainz)
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz), Fabian Frei (Basel), Remo Freuler (Nottingham Forest), Ardon Jashari (Luzern), Fabian Rieder (Young Boys), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Djibril Sow (Eintracht Frankfurt), Renato Steffen (Lugano), Denis Zakaria (Chelsea), Michel Aebischer (Bologna)
Forwards: Breel Embolo (Monaco), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Noah Okafor (RB Salzburg), Haris Seferovic (Galatasaray), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg)
Ones to look at
Star – Granit Xhaka: The Swiss captain with 106 caps to his identify has began the season in excellent trend, enjoying in a box-to-box function for Arsenal and a key cog of their terrific begin to the season. The combative midfielder, 30, was man-of-the-match in Switzerland’s triumph in opposition to France at Euro 2020 final yr and will information the Swiss to the latter phases ought to his wonderful type proceed at his fifth main event.
Breakout expertise – Ruben Vargas: The Augsburg winger scored one in every of Switzerland’s penalties in opposition to France within the shootout final yr and performed a pivotal function in his nation’s run to the quarter-finals. The 24-year-old may very well be Switzerland’s hidden gem in assault.
80/1
Prediction
Recent historical past tells us that Switzerland will emerge from the group and never a lot additional – and that’s a probable situation this yr too. They drew to Brazil 4 years in the past and whereas Neymar and Co are clear group favourites, it’s all to play for amongst the opposite three groups and it may nicely come all the way down to a last recreation winner-takes-all conflict in opposition to Serbia. Could play Portugal or Uruguay within the last-16, which can be a step too far. Yet don’t underestimate a crew which completed above Italy of their qualifying group. Defeated within the final 16.
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk