The Swiss national team has its back to the wall in the Nations League and must step on the gas in the final games. Murat Yakin surprises with his line-up for the games against Serbia and Spain.
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- Murat Yakin has announced his squad for the upcoming Nations League games against Serbia and Spain.
- Due to numerous injury absences, the national team coach will have to reshuffle his squad compared to the last squad. This will give other players a (new) chance in the national team.
- In addition to Miro Muheim, who is making his first ever appearance for the senior national team, the squad also includes Noah Okafor, who was recently subbed off, as well as Derek Kutesa, Ardon Jashari, Simon Sohn, Albian Hajdari and Pascal Loretz.
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 with a yellow card. 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 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. Somewhat surprisingly, Yakin will be without the in-form Renato Steffen as well as Silvan Widmer and Cédric Zesiger.
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.
The national team line-up
The live ticker to read up on
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The end
The media conference is over.
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Jaquez would have been in the squad
Like Benito, Lucerne youngster Luca Jaquez would also have been in the squad, Yakin revealed. The problem is that the central defender was sent off during his last appearance for the U21 team in October and is suspended for the upcoming international matches.
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Nati resides in the Dolder
The team is staying at the luxury hotel The Dolder Grand ahead of the Serbia match. With this squad full of young players, you could have gone to a youth hostel, jokes Yakin. "I like being in the hotel. It will be something special for some of them," he says. "We can offer the players the best possible preparation."
The Dolder is the team hotel for the Women's European Championship this summer. This is how the collaboration with the national team came about, says media manager Adrian Arnold. The hotel has offered the national team special conditions for these days.
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"Relegation would not be a drama"
The Nati are fighting against relegation from League A. "We're trying to save ourselves, at least in the play-offs," says Yakin. "But relegation wouldn't be a drama. It would be a bigger problem if we didn't qualify for Pot 1 in the World Cup group draw." However, the Nati still have it in their own hands and are trying to make relegation possible.
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Muheim takes part for the first time
The 26-year-old left-back Miro Muheim is taking part for the first time. "We know his strengths, he has a strong left foot, crosses well and has an attacking drive," says Yakin. It is possible that the HSV mercenary will be deployed on the left flank.
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Okafor returns
Noah Okafor is back for the first time since the European Championship. This comes after Yakin criticized him recently. "We were in contact yesterday when I informed him of the squad," explained the national team coach. Okafor was delighted. "Anyone can make a mistake. That's legitimate and human." That's why there's no point in holding grudges for long. "He can only prove himself when he's on the pitch."
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Fears for Kobel, Benito would have been there
Bitter news for the national team and Loris Benito in particular: The YB defender would also have been in the squad, but was injured in Bern's defeat to Shachtar in the Champions League. Number 1 Gregor Kobel is also injured, but the BVB keeper is in the squad. Yakin: "We are in contact with Gregor, we know what his situation is like. He should be ready for the weekend." And if not? "Then Mvogo will play."
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Yakin on injury misery: "Very unfortunate"
"November is intense with a lot of games, and that has affected us. It's a shame, but there's nothing we can do," says Yakin about the many injuries in the national team. However, Yakin is not looking for excuses, not even from the referee, who has been the subject of discussion several times in recent games. "We've been rather disadvantaged in the last four games, but we still have it in our own hands against Serbia and Spain."
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Loretz, Hajdari, Muheim, Sohm, Kutesa and Jashari in - and Okafor also returns
The national team coach is here and announces his squad. There are a few surprises. Lucerne goalkeeper Pascal Loretz is in the squad, as is Lugano defender Albian Hajdari. Miro Muheim from HSV is making his first appearance for the national team. Simon Sohm, Derek Kutesa and Ardon Jashari return to the senior squad. Also back is Noah Okafor, who was recently sidelined.
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It's about to start
Will there be any more surprises? We'll find out shortly. The media conference starts at 11.00 am.
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Another newcomer?
The Nati will be without a number of injured players in the upcoming games, particularly in defense. The ailing Nico Elvedi will also miss at least the game against Serbia due to a yellow card suspension. Murat Yakin could therefore once again surprise with a newcomer.
As "Blick" claims to have learned, a new face will indeed join the national team on Monday: Miro Muheim. The 26-year-old left-back is impressing at HSV in the 2nd Bundesliga and has already provided seven assists in eleven games this season.
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Nati threatened with relegation to League B
Switzerland have picked up just one point in their first four games and must start a race to catch up if they are to avoid direct relegation to League B. The gap to Serbia and third place in the group is three points.
As the direct comparison is the deciding factor in the event of a tie, the Nati are already condemned to victory in their next match against the Serbs on Friday next week. In the event of a draw or a defeat, the team would be relegated to League B even before the last game against Spain.
There are also some very attractive opponents in League B, but relegation would still "annoy Nati coach Murat Yakin immensely", as he said after the 2-2 draw against Denmark in mid-October. "I've never been relegated in my career. Neither as a player nor as a coach. That would be very negative, and I don't think the players would like it either."
In addition, the national team would possibly end up in a more difficult group when the groups for the World Cup qualifiers are drawn, as there is a risk of falling into pot two. But that is not certain, even if they are relegated.
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Hello ...
and welcome to the Swiss national team's media conference with coach Murat Yakin, who will announce his squad for the final two matches in the Nations League phase against Serbia (November 15 in Zurich) and Spain (November 18 in Tenerife).
