Switzerland takes care of all the details in its approach to the round of 16 of the Euro against Italy.
A Black Jack was organized on Thursday evening to further strengthen ties, to cultivate the team spirit that has been present since the start of the tournament.
“There was shouting from everywhere,” summarized Michel Aebischer on Thursday to the press to describe this festive evening two days before the big shock. Even if it is too often used, often mocked too, the expression “the group lives well” fits the situation perfectly.
Even Xherdan Shaqiri, who can only hope for a role as a joker, is going through this Euro with his usual smile and good humor. “Murat Yakin was clear with him from the first day about his role in this Euro, we specify within the ASF. Xherdan accepted this choice.”
“Italy is the favorite”
The players, however, know that with this round of 16 they are tackling a summit that will be extremely difficult to climb. “Italy is the favorite for this round of 16, confirms Michel Aebischer to stay in the line drawn the day before by Remo Freuler. It has experience of this type of match. Above all, it is the title holder.”
Under contract in Bologna since January 2022, the Fribourgeois also knows that the Italians have an absolute horror of defeat. “No one likes to lose, of course. But for them, it’s different,” he says. “In Italian culture, you always have to win. I felt this particular pressure from my first day in Bologna,” slips -he.
“People only talk about football,” he continues. “There are the emotions that we experience at the stadium. But football also gives rhythm to people’s daily lives. serves in the restaurant will not fail to tell you about it. In Italy, football is the number 1 sport and this is true every day.”
What defense?
This round of 16 will therefore not be a match like any other for the three “mercenaries” of Bologna Dan Ndoye, Remo Freuler and Michel Aebischer, even if they will not cross paths with their teammate Riccardo Calafiori, suspended after his yellow card received Monday evening against Croatia.
“We will first have to defend well,” warns Michel Aebischer. The suspension of Silvan Widmer redistributes some cards in this area. Leonidas Stergiou should logically replace him. But with Murat Yakin, you should, as we know, never swear about anything. The rumor thus gives some credence to the hypothesis of a tenure of Steven Zuber which would force Michel Aebischer to change sides.
However, such a choice seems improbable given that the Fribourgeois has formed a perfect pair with Ricardo Rodriguez for three matches. “We found our automatisms,” he congratulates himself.
An open table
Michel Aebischer and his teammates have, of course, taken a look at this round of 16 table. Switzerland could reach the final without having to eliminate Spain, France, Portugal or Germany.
“We have seen that our table could open up,” he smiles. “But it would be absurd to already plan for the future. Let’s wait for Saturday’s match. If we win it, we will then be able to really study this table.” Which would offer a quarter-final against an England that is currently suffering or Slovakia, and a semi-final against Austria, Turkey, Romania or the Netherlands.
“All the counters are now reset to zero,” Michel Aebischer rightly recalls. “No match will be easy to play anymore.” Starting of course with Saturday against Italy, a country where football is king, where defeat is quite simply prohibited.
This article was automatically published. Source: ats
