Silvan Widmer (31) was an integral part of the national team at the European Championship, but now he's not even in the squad. He talks to blue News about not being called up, the Nations League and his difficult time at Mainz.
No time? blue Sport summarizes for you
- It was hard to imagine the national team without Silvan Widmer at the European Championships, but now he hasn't even been called up by coach Murat Yakin despite various absences.
- In an interview with blue Sport, he talks about how he took not being called up, talks about the games against Serbia and Spain and about his current substitute role at Mainz as captain.
Silvan Widmer, your national team colleagues are currently at the national team camp. Have you ever been to the Dolder Grand?
Silvan Widmer: Yes, I've also been a guest at the Dolder. It's a great address and a wonderful hotel. The boys will have a good time there.
How disappointed are you that you weren't called up?
I was pretty disappointed about it.
How did Yakin explain the decision to you?
He called me and told me personally, which I really appreciated. It was an open and honest conversation. The main reason was that I hadn't played that much at the club in recent weeks and therefore lacked match practice.
Do you understand his reasoning?
I can understand his decision. Even if I had hoped for something different.
In Serbia a few weeks ago, you still played in the 2-0 defeat. What do you need to do better on Friday at the Letzigrund?
First and foremost, we need to be more aggressive and win more tackles. In terms of play, we're at least as good as the Serbs, if not better. We will create our chances. It's important that we go into this game with fighting spirit and passion.
In the last game of the Nations League in Spain, we will probably be inferior in terms of play. But we still need points. Is that realistic?
Playing against the current European champions is a challenge for any team. They have an incredible amount of quality with the ball. But the same applies to the game against Spain in Tenerife: with a lot of fighting spirit, we have a chance of playing a good game. For us, it's about staying in Group A of the Nations League.
Why would it be important to stay in the league?
Of course it's also a question of prestige, we've always been in Group A and we want to stay there. It's also great and important for our sporting development that we can continue to compete with the best teams in Europe.
Are you watching the game on TV?
Yes, I'm sitting in front of the TV and keeping my fingers crossed for the boys.
Your situation at Mainz 05 is similar: last season you were still captain. This season you are still captain but only part-time.
That's not what I want at the moment. But I'm aware of my role as captain and try to fulfill it as best I can. As a substitute, in the dressing room before the game or during the break. I stay positive and try to support the team. But of course I want to get more playing time and give it my all in every training session.
How did coach Bo Henriksen explain your new role to you?
Bo is very open and honest, we've talked a lot. He is currently using a different system with different players. That's not one hundred percent satisfactory for me personally, but I'm fully committed to the team. The most important thing is that we are successful as a team.
Nevertheless, you are an ambitious player, so a place on the bench should not be an option in the long term. Xherdan Shaqiri has returned to Switzerland at the age of 32. Is that also an option for you?
I'm not thinking about that yet. I have a contract with Mainz until the summer of 2026. My family and I feel very comfortable there and I'm still fit and full of energy. A return to Switzerland is certainly not an issue today or tomorrow.
Because you weren't called up to the national team, you suddenly have a day or two off in the next few days. Any plans yet?
It's actually something new for me to have a few days off in the middle of the season. However, because our eldest daughter is already at school, a short trip is out of the question. But a few trips at the weekend would be possible. Or maybe we'll stay at home and enjoy some free family time.
