Murat Yakin underlines his reputation as a tactician at the European Championships. So far, Nico Elvedi and Noah Okafor have had to resign themselves to the reserve role. Okafor would "perhaps" be less able to cope with it, Yakin reveals to blue Sport.
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- Noah Okafor and Nico Elvedi sit on the bench for 270 minutes at the European Championship. Three games, no appearances. While Elvedi, according to Yakin, is committed to the team, Okafor is "perhaps" less able to cope with the reserve role.
- Under Yakin, Okafor has contributed two goals and two assists in 21 international matches to date. The Milan striker's last goal for the national team came two years ago, in June 2022.
- Yakin is adamant with Okafor: "There has to be a performance on the pitch."
Murat Yakin impresses at the European Championship with his tactical finesse. In the opening game, he surprisingly opted for Kwadwo Duah and Michel Aebischer - both scored. Against Scotland, he set up Xherdan Shaqiri, who tapped the ball into the far corner to make it 1-1. In the final group game, he allowed Dan Ndoye to run out on the left wing and score to make it 1-0.
While Yakin's men are on the pitch, two former regulars are on the bench: Nico Elvedi and Noah Okafor. The latter played 21 games for the national team during the Yakin era. If he was in the squad, he also got some playing time - with the exception of the test match against England (March 2022, 1:2).
Okafor's mixed national team record
Okafor has not played a single second at the European Championships. This fact comes as a surprise, but is understandable when you take a closer look at his national team statistics. It was two years ago that Okafor scored his last goal for the national team. The Milan striker scored in the 2-1 Nations League defeat to the Czech Republic, and in March 2023 he contributed his last assist to date in the 5-0 win over Belarus.
On blue Sport, Yakin speaks plainly in the "home game with the Nati": "There has to be a performance on the pitch." Okafor's statistics under Yakin: 21 games, 2 goals, 2 assists.
There are always conversations between coach and player. Okafor feels the competition. "He's perhaps less able to cope with it (the reserve role, ed.), but he has to come to terms with it himself."
Yakin on Elvedi: "Puts himself at the service of the team"
Okafor is joined by central defender Elvedi. Born in Zurich, he has been a permanent fixture in the national team for years, but will have to make way for his colleague Fabian Schär at the European Championships.
Listening to Yakin's words, you can hear that Elvedi seems to be coping better with his role as a substitute. "He is putting himself at the service of the team," said Yakin.
So far, Yakin's plan for the European Championship is working. What move will he make for the round of 16 against Italy? "We'll be well prepared," says Yakin. blue Sport will be ticking the match live (Saturday, 18:00). "It will be an interesting game tactically," says the national team coach.
