Switzerland - A clock that wants to ring the bells

Switzerland 

 Always very precise (like a swiss clock…) they’ve been a regular presence in the big competitions, and sometimes with good spells. In 2006 they were eliminated without conceding any goal and in 2014 they fought Argentina to the limit. They need a bit more offensive prowess to hope for more glory.

How they qualified

 After a woeful start, with two defeats in two games, Switzerland was able to turn things around and qualify with relative ease. The problems they showed against England makes it very hard to predict any success in the latter stages for the Swiss.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Roman Burki (Borussia Dortmund), Marwin Hitz (Augsburg), Yann Sommer (Monchengladbach).

Defenders: Johan Djourou (Hamburg), Nico Elvedi (Monchengladbach), Michael Lang (Basel), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus), Francois Moubandje (Toulouse), Ricardo Rodríguez (Wolfsburg), Fabian Schar (Hoffenheim), Steve von Bergen (Young Boys).

Midfielders: Valon Behrami (Watford), Blerim Dzemaili (Genoa), Gelson Fernandes (Rennes), Fabian Frei (Mainz), Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City), Granit Xhaka (Monchengladbach), Denis Zakaria (Young Boys).

Forwards: Eren Derdiyok (Kasımpasa), Admir Mehmedi (Leverkusen), Breel Embolo (Basel), Haris Seferovic (Frankfurt), Shani Tarashaj (Everton).

Xherdan Shaqiri

Club : Stoke (ENG)

Age : 24 years

Known as the “Magic Dwarf” Shaqiri is a very disconcerting player. Small, quick and with a great left foot, he’s able to decide any game and was this quality that made him a rotation player in Bayern Munich.

 Looking to star in a team, was unhappy at Inter and Stoke landed him, where he made a good season, showing that he’s more grown up and ready to lead his national team.

Breel Embolo

Club : Basel (SWI)

Age : 19 anos

 Just 19 years of age, Embolo is one of the most promising Swiss players in history. Tall, strong, great technical ability and a coolness in front of goal that is very unusual for a teenager. Embolo is already the first-option striker at Basel and already scored 30 goals in his young career.

 If he has a chance, he’ll show his abilities and, most likely, make a career progression after the tournament.

Vladimir Petkovic

52 year old Bosnian, made his career in Switzerland where he also started his mangerial stance. Was successful at Lazio, winning Coppa Italia in 2013, and now has the hard task of replacing the historic Ottmar Hitzfeld.

What to expect from them?

 A very organized team, with the midfield being their strongest area, as they destroy and create with the same ease, thanks to players like Behrami and Xhaka. They will appear in a fluid 4-3-3 where the wingers (Shaqiri and Mehmedi) play in the opposite side to their strong foot, allowing them to play from wide to the center.

 Their defense needs to be quicker in the recovery if they want to avoid any troubles, as that’s the main problem they usually have in the competitions, but they are probable presence in the knockout stage.

 

FIL's Starting XI prediction