In the last group match of the Nations League, the Swiss national team has nothing to play for in sporting terms. Nevertheless, there are good reasons to take the clash with Spain seriously.
Remo Freuler was asked after the match against Serbia whether he would now pack his swimming trunks and lie on the beach in Tenerife. With Spain qualifying for the quarter-finals as group winners and Switzerland relegated from the group in last place, a typical last eight match is on the cards. Nevertheless, the midfielder denies the question. “We’re certainly not going to go there and try anything. We want to deliver a good game.”
Freuler has to say that, of course, but you can take it from him anyway. Because despite its sporting insignificance, the game on the largest island in the Canary Islands brings with it factors that will not create a vacation feeling:
Testing new mechanisms
When Freuler says that they “won’t just try something out”, he means special experiments. Yakin will not suddenly put strikers in the defense, but he will use the last game to test new mechanisms – even if he has to. This is because Breel Embolo, the regular striker, is suspended. Players such as Andi Zeqiri or Noah Okafor can use this to present themselves as valid replacements.
There will also be another change in defense, as Aurèle Amenda is out due to a knee contusion. It is therefore possible that another 21-year-old, Albian Hajdari, will be given the chance to start. Joël Monteiro and Dereck Kutesa, who came on as substitutes on Friday and brought a breath of fresh air into the attack, are also likely to be options for the starting eleven.
The announced shake-up in the national team was slow in the fall because Yakin was forced to rely on tried-and-tested players after the false start in the Nations League. This pressure will be removed against Spain.
The opponents are the European champions
Spain is not just any team. They are the European champions and defending Nations League champions. No additional motivation is needed against an opponent of this caliber. And even if the Spaniards – in contrast to the clash in Geneva in September – are missing key players such as Robin Le Normand, Dani Carvajal, Lamine Yamal and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, a Swiss point in Tenerife would at least be a prestigious success. They could leave League A of the Nations League with their heads held high.
The Swiss have proven time and again in the past that they can challenge the Spaniards. Their last victory was only two years ago. It was also in the Nations League and also away from home. Switzerland won 2:1 in Zaragoza.
Picture:
Keystone
The World Cup qualifiers are coming up
“A World Cup or a European Championship is something completely different to the Nations League,” said captain Granit Xhaka after the relegation. That’s why it won’t be really important until the spring. In March, the first World Cup qualifiers are already on the agenda for the national teams that are not competing in the Nations League.
Switzerland, who will be drawn in Pot 1 in the group draw on December 13, want to qualify for the tournament of the world’s best teams for the sixth time in a row. To achieve this, it is important to start the campaign with the necessary self-confidence. That’s why the players will approach the game against Spain with the necessary seriousness. It’s also about getting a good feeling for the upcoming tasks.
SDA
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