Switzerland have reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship for the second time in a row. After recent strong performances against major footballing nations, England no longer seems insurmountable.
"Why shouldn't we be able to beat England?" asked Murat Yakin, referring to his team's recent performances. Why not? Just a month ago, many could have listed a long list of reasons why a victory in a European Championship quarter-final against the "Three Lions" sounds rather adventurous to Swiss ears. But suddenly the question no longer seems so far-fetched.
Because almost everything has gone for the Swiss national team in recent weeks. Or at least for Yakin. In hindsight, his personnel decisions always proved to be the right ones. Even in the 1-1 draw against Scotland, the only game in which he had hoped for a little more, he put Xherdan Shaqiri, the goalscorer, in the starting eleven.
The national team coach, who was heavily criticized before the tournament, had every reason to pat himself on the back. But when he does so, he does so secretly. Outwardly, he is modest. "Of course we make a plan on how we want to beat the opponent," said the 49-year-old. "But the way the players then go out onto the pitch and really celebrate it is a pleasure for me too."
Italy quickly ticked off
Especially in the round of 16 against Italy, the team improved on their already impressive performance in the last group game against hosts Germany (1-1). The Swiss controlled the game. Led by captain and strategist Granit Xhaka, they ran the ball through their own ranks and immediately put the Italians under pressure when possession changed hands.
The dominant performance against the big footballing nation was "a statement", as Breel Embolo said after the game. A statement similar to the one Austria made in their last group game against the Netherlands. However, the subsequent hype was quickly over. To prevent this, the Swiss deliberately put the brakes on the euphoria.
Yakin gave the players Monday off, giving them time to process what had happened. With training on Tuesday, the focus was already back on the next opponent. "We have both feet on the ground," said Steven Zuber. "We know who we are and where we come from." The fact that many are now asking whether Switzerland are suddenly even the favorites is something the players are casually brushing aside. "We're just concentrating on our performance," said Zuber.
Long streak of winlessness
But of course the fact that England have not yet been able to impress in their previous appearances is an issue. Neither in the group stage nor in the round of 16 against Slovakia (2:1 n.V.) did the billion-strong squad led by Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Harry Kane manage to shine. Switzerland's chances of upsetting the "motherland of football" after 41 years and 13 consecutive matches without a win seem better than they have been for a long time.
And yet it is an opponent that was one of the most frequently named title favorites before the tournament. "The English have so much quality in their squad, so many players who can make the difference," said Murat Yakin, who also pointed out that the difficult match against Slovakia could have served as a "button opener". "What came before is secondary anyway. It's a new game, a new starting position. Everything is open," said the Swiss national coach, who knows best how quickly the wind can change.
Calm as a strength
As a player, Yakin has already faced England once at a European Championship. Twenty years ago, he was on the pitch when Switzerland lost 3-0 in the second group game and striker Alex Frei lost his nerve. However, the so-called "spitting affair" was just one episode in a generally troubled campaign, Yakin recalled. "Today the situation is completely different. The players are focused, the mood in the team is very good."
Ultimately, it will come down to whether a functioning team can outshine a group of top-class individuals. "We're in a good situation, we've built up a lot of confidence in recent weeks," said Yakin. "We'll see, it's an open game."
And perhaps this decidedly calm approach is exactly the right way to approach what could be a historic game. If Switzerland win, they will reach the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time ever. Three years after the narrow defeat on penalties against Spain, this step could be made up for. Yes, why not?
SDA
