Sébastien Roth looks back on Switzerland’s excellent Euro 2024 round of 16 victory over Italy (2-0). The former goalkeeper for the national team, Servette and Lorient, talks about this match with joy and looks ahead to the rest of the competition.
RTSsport.ch: Sébastien Roth, we spoke to you after the disappointing Scotland-Switzerland. Perfect plan, serenity, efficiency…. what a contrast between the two performances!
SEBASTIEN ROTH: Ah yes, we can say that! Switzerland presented a completely different face than ten days ago against the Scots. It was super well put together, it was solid, super well organized. But I could almost say that the transalpine opposition was at the same level as the Scottish one. (laughs)! To get serious again, we see that it is indirectly easier to face a big nation than a smaller one… Afterwards, is today’s Italy still a big nation? Frankly, it was very weak in this Euro…
RTSsport.ch: We could have expected better, after his reaction against Croatia…
SEBASTIEN ROTH: Quite. I also told myself that his equalizer in front of the Croats could be a trigger for him, that a sort of new Squadra could be born after that. It is clear that this was not the case. She spent her time waiting for Switzerland, and its start of the second half (editor’s note: loss of ball at kick-off, goal conceded a few seconds later…) is simply mind-blowing at this level.
Even though they had already been good against Germany last Sunday, it had been a long time since I had seen Switzerland deliver such a complete performance.
RTSsport.ch: The fact remains that the performance delivered by Switzerland, a disconcertingly calm team, was very, very accomplished…
SEBASTIEN ROTH: Yes, absolutely nothing should be taken away from the merits of the Swiss team. Absolutely not! Their control of the match was incredible. Tactically, it was a model of its kind, there is absolutely nothing to say or complain about. They controlled things almost from the beginning to the end of the match, they waited for the Italians at the beginning to make them come out and find the spaces. It was very intelligent. It was a very accomplished, very successful performance. In the qualifiers, or even against Hungary, we had seen the Nati dominate for 60-70 minutes, then get bogged down afterwards. There, they were dominant from start to finish. Even if they had already been good against Germany last Sunday, it had been a long time since I had seen them deliver such a complete performance.
RTSsport.ch: Once again, Murat Yakin, whom so many journalists and supporters have ridiculously vehemently criticized for a year and a half, has found the solution! We knew Didier Deschamps’ animal. Will we have to talk about “Muri’s” flair?
SEBASTIEN ROTH: The coach made moves, he succeeded. It’s strong. But we know very well that if his choices had not paid off in one of the four matches, or even more, he would have been very, very criticized again. The national team’s journey in this Euro 2024 ultimately speaks for him and for all the staff who work with him, including his new assistant, Giorgio Contini!
Apart from Manuel Akanji, who is really the boss, I am not yet completely convinced by the Swiss rearguard. Once again, there were some misunderstandings against Italy, a lack of communication. These are warning signs that should not be taken lightly.
RTSsport.ch: What Dan Ndoye, this time in place of Silvan Widmer (suspended), has achieved in this Euro is also quite fascinating…
SEBASTIEN ROTH: Yes, and he did very well in this position. It’s beautiful to see him at this level, to see him fight. But I must say that in this round of 16, I really liked Fabian Rieder too. In a match like this, he was so valuable for the team! He was a very, very important player, like against Germany. And at the end of this meeting against the Italians, we cannot fail to mention Ruben Vargas, who scored, then who scored. Regarding the Swiss performance, I still have one caveat to make…
RTSsport.ch: Go for it!
SEBASTIEN ROTH: Apart from Manuel Akanji, who is really the boss and is having a very high-flying Euro, I am not completely convinced by the Swiss rearguard. Once again, there were some misunderstandings against Italy, a lack of communication. The defense was also caught out twice on free kicks that went over them. Once, Di Lorenzo missed and, the next time, it hit the post, but the player was probably offside. In short, fortunately Italy did not have 9 chances, but these are warnings that should not be taken lightly. Be careful, I do not want to sound negative, but in a competition like this, you have to know how to keep the good and check what you can still work on and/or improve. Yes, you win 2-0, it’s magnificent, it’s great, it’s fantastic, but when you are in the event, you certainly see things in a different light and you immediately go back to the analysis. In my opinion, these things will be on the menu for the coming week.
Everyone now knows that the Nati has qualities, that it is tactically well in place, well organized, that it is annoying to play. It will still be, for the English or the Slovaks…
RTSsport.ch: While waiting for England or Slovakia…
SEBASTIEN ROTH: Without wanting to be presumptuous or arrogant, because we really must not begin to fall into excess of confidence, there will undoubtedly be a card to play for Switzerland, whoever their next opponent is. Yes, it will be a Euro quarter-final and it will inevitably be complicated, but that’s the case for everyone at this stage. All its potential opponents now know that the Nati has qualities, that it is tactically well in place, well organized, that it is annoying to play. It will still be, for the English or the Slovaks. And this Euro is such a showcase for Swiss players that I imagine that some of them still want to showcase themselves. It promises!
Arnaud Cerutti
