Murat Yalkin maintains the mystery.
Given for granted already on Sunday evening, the tenure of Leonidas Stergiou to replace Silvan Widmer on the right flank of the Swiss team on Saturday at the Euro against Italy is called into question.
“We worked on two variants all week,” the coach said without going any further. In his list of 26, Stergiou is the only one who can, apparently, take Widmer’s place. But with Murat Yakin, anything is possible. He has shown that since the start of the tournament with three team compositions that have surprised.
‘I am happy and proud to experience such a match. Switzerland – Italy in the round of 16 of a major tournament, it is a match that is not a match like the others, savours Murat Yakin. We have studied Italy. We will be facing a team that can do anything tactically, like practicing individual marking all over the pitch. Italy is perhaps the last country to do that. But we must also concentrate on our game. We must play to our strengths.’
‘A hell of a difference’
Murat Yakin was, of course, asked during this press conference about the possibility that this round of 16 will be decided by penalties. ‘We have taken the time to practice them in recent days,’ he said. ‘But between taking a penalty in training without pressure or in a session with qualification at stake, there is a big difference.’
Murat Yakin does not hide it. He’s not a fan of penalty shootouts. ‘If I want to be honest, I have to admit that I would prefer the match to be played beforehand. In favor of one or the other team’, he concludes with a final counterpoint which gives all its charm.
Probable teams
Switzerland – Italy. Saturday, 6 p.m. Berlin. Referee: Marciniak (POL).
Switzerland: 1 summer; 22 Schär, 5 Akanji, 13 Rodriguez; 2 Stergiou, 8 Freuler, 10 Xhaka, 20 Aebischer; 19 Ndoye, 17 Vargas; 7 embolus.
Italy: 1 Donnarumma; 17 Left-handed, 4 Buongiorno, 23 Sticks; 2 Di Lorenzo, 8 Jorginho, 18 Barella, 24 Cambiaso; 7 Frattesi, 14 Church; 9 Scamacca.
/ATS
