National coach Murat Yakin has called up defender Miro Muheim for the first time for the last two international matches of the year. Noah Okafor is also among the numerous returnees.
At the age of 26, Miro Muheim could make his debut for the senior national team as early as next week. The multiple junior international is in the Swiss squad of 26 players for the decisive matches of the current Nations League on Friday in Zurich against Serbia and on Monday in Tenerife against European champions Spain.
The left-back earned his nomination with strong performances for Hamburger SV, for whom he has played in the Bundesliga 2 since moving from St. Gallen in the summer of 2022. The Zurich native has been in the starting line-up for all 13 of HSV's competitive matches this season, also impressing with his attacking play.
Numerous absences in defense
Now Muheim, who trained at FC Zurich and later at Chelsea in England, has been given the chance by Yakin because the national team coach has several absentees in defense. Compared to the line-up in October, Becir Omeragic, Ulisses Garcia and Michel Aebischer, who was last deployed on the left flank, are missing through injury. Nico Elvedi is also injured and suspended. In attack, Augsburg striker Ruben Vargas is still out due to an ankle injury.
Simon Sohm, Kevin Mbabu, Dereck Kutesa, Denis Zakaria and, for the first time since the European Championship in the summer, Ardon Jashari and Noah Okafor are all back. Like Muheim, goalkeeper Pascal Loretz from FC Luzern and central defenders Aurèle Amenda (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Albian Hajdari (FC Lugano) are also still without a senior international appearance.
Victory against Serbia is a must
The Swiss are still without a win after four games in the current Nations League and are under corresponding pressure ahead of the crucial two games. They need a win against Serbia at home in the Letzigrund in Zurich on Friday, otherwise they will be relegated from the top division of the European competition, which was introduced in 2018, for the first time.
SDA
