In some ways, the situation is frighteningly similar to that of the World Cup in Qatar a year and a half ago. Back then, Switzerland was one goal away from winning the group in the last group match. As this was not possible, Murat Yakin’s team faced Portugal instead of South Korea. The round of 16 was played in Lusail, where the final was also held two weeks later. Silvan Widmer was absent due to illness.
And now: In the last group match, a goal conceded in the 92nd minute prevented Switzerland from winning the group. So the opponent in the round of 16 is not Denmark, but Italy. The match will be played in Berlin – in the final stadium. Silvan Widmer is suspended.
The parallels are frightening from a Swiss perspective, because the World Cup round of 16 match against Portugal ended in a 1:6 disaster. And anyway: with the one exception against France three years ago, Switzerland’s hopes have always ended in the first knockout round over the last ten years.
Despite this, or perhaps because of this, there is some evidence to suggest that things will be different on Saturday evening in the European Championship round of 16. The national team has learned from its mistakes, players and coaches are more level-headed, and the atmosphere is different. There is something in the air around the venerable, somewhat remote Waldau Stadium, where the Swiss have been training for almost three weeks.
Atmosphere «much more pleasant»
Often it is the nuances that make the difference. The campaign in Qatar was based on the desire to make history. And of course the Swiss still want to do that, otherwise they wouldn’t have had to travel there in the first place. But this time they have refrained from making it the overarching motto. Instead, the motto of this tournament is quite simply: We are Switzerland.
The players’ performances are calmer, less dogged. Even captain Granit Xhaka said from the start that he would not set any high goals this time. In Leverkusen, where he celebrated the double last season, he did well by taking it game by game. He himself had “set himself a challenge” that he did not want to share with the public.
Press conferences are no longer about politically charged duels or sick-making fans in hotel rooms. Instead, the players talk about who plays which games in their free time. The atmosphere is “naturally much more pleasant” than in Qatar, says Michel Aebischer. “Everyone knows what it’s about. Everyone is focused. If the media doesn’t have much to write, that’s a compliment for us.”
Debates that arise are usually nipped in the bud. The question of the number one goalie has long been resolved. The coach’s pending contract extension has been postponed until after the tournament. The problems with the training pitch in Stuttgart are a little tedious, but ultimately not a problem.
Without additional pressure, but confident
Yakin also handled another discussion about the right-back with similar aplomb. He said immediately after the last group match that he had called up Leonidas Stergiou to replace Widmer. The fact that the 22-year-old is actually a trained central defender and was only in the starting eleven for VfB Stuttgart six times last season does not seem to play a major role for the national coach – or he hides it well and surprises everyone again on match day with a special line-up.
And finally, the Swiss skilfully rejected the role of favorites. This despite the fact that the Azzurri did not make a good impression in the group phase and ultimately had to thank a goal in the 98th minute for their progress. But Italy is Italy, said Remo Freuler briefly. And Aebischer also pointed out that the opponent was none other than the current European champions. And not only that: They are also four-time world champions (most recently in 2006 in Germany) and have been unbeaten against Switzerland for 31 years.
By pointing out the great history of their opponents, the Swiss are consciously not putting themselves under any additional pressure, without forgetting their own qualities. When asked what spoke in Switzerland’s favour in the round of 16, Aebischer replied: “The preliminary round, our team spirit, we defend well and are just as good on the ball.” These are not only more reasons, but also better reasons.
