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If the SFV team wants to meet their demands, they need a positive result against Germany on Tuesday in Cologne.
How to evaluate the performance of the Swiss against Spain? The issue was raised again the day before the match against Germany. While the coaches and players valued the performance in Madrid positively, the Swiss media commented on it much more critically.
With a little distance, Petkovic saw that his team’s performance was no longer as good as on Saturday after the game. “But we also have to be realistic and see who we play against.” But the national coach does not want to adapt too much to the rival: “We have a certain style and full confidence in what we do.”
Discrepancies under consideration
Not for the first time in the era of Petkovic and the generation around Captain Granit Xhaka there was a discrepancy between the external and internal vision of an international match of the Swiss team. Does the fact that you did not allow yourself to be dominated by a strong opponent predominate, or does defeat prevail after only one scoring opportunity?
On Tuesday at the empty stadium in Cologne, an honorable defeat to the 2014 world champions is not enough if the Swiss want to live up to their own demands. In 2020 they are still winless after four games, the last time this happened to an SFV team in 2011. These statistics also show why expectations have risen in recent years.
No spectators in Cologne
The timing of the duel against the great neighbor could hardly be better. Spectators are also not allowed in Cologne due to the increase in corona infections, and Joachim Löw’s team is not very stable. The DFB team and national coach have been heavily criticized recently, Saturday’s 2-1 in Ukraine at least softened things up a bit.
The Swiss can draw courage, although they are at the bottom of the table, from their appearance in the 1-1 draw in the first leg when they were closer to victory. Petkovic had nine good scoring chances, defender Silvan Widmer was the only one to score. The starting position is now different from that of Basel. Löw can once again count on his Bayern lockdown around captain Manuel Neuer, who was saved in September. In the SFV selection, some absent ones returned, Breel Embolo, the best in the first leg, but injured.
Shaqiri from the beginning?
It is often difficult on offense, as the game in Spain showed. Xherdan Shaqiri’s return after a 16-month absence is therefore a positive sign, even if the 83-time international lacks practice and was unable to achieve much after his substitution against Spain.
The fact that he appeared at the press conference on the eve of the game against Germany was not a sign to Petkovic that the 29-year-old will play from the start: “He is the vice-captain, so it is normal for him to sit there.” Assume Shaqiri will play, Petkovic said. “How long and when, we still have to decide.”
Praise the opponent
With or without Shaqiri, Switzerland will also compete as an outsider in Germany. Thanks to his appearances in recent years, he has earned the respect of opponents. Switzerland is a very balanced and homogeneous team that defends very well and very high and attacks with impudence and courage, said Löw. “He has developed steadily and is a huge obstacle for all opponents.” The fact that they had virtually no scoring chances against Spain speaks volumes about the strength of Switzerland.
The national coach is familiar with training at SFV, having once started his coaching career at Winterthur and Frauenfeld. «The players are almost perfectly trained. They are very strong in spatial behavior, but also in one-on-one situations and in duels. ”You will have taken note of Löw’s words in the association with good will, even more so after the criticism against Spain.
