Keystone
Murat Yakin faces the challenge of reorganizing the Swiss national team’s defence.
The Swiss national team’s defensive worries have intensified after Manuel Akanji was ruled out. Coach Murat Yakin has to improvise in the Nations League relegation battle.
For years, Fabian Schär, Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji provided defensive stability. But now all three are missing, leading to an unusual situation at the Letzigrund in Zurich. For the first time in over eight years, none of them will be in the starting line-up. The last time this was the case was in May 2016, when Philippe Senderos and Johan Djourou formed the central defense.
Following Schär’s withdrawal and Elvedi’s absence due to injury, Akanji, who is suffering from adductor problems, also withdrew. Pierluigi Tami, the national team director, admits that the situation is awkward. “New players are best integrated when they are integrated into a functioning system,” he explains. Despite the many absentees, he is confident that Yakin will find a solution.
New faces in defense
The only traditional central defenders in the current squad are 21-year-old Aurèle Amenda and Albian Hajdari. Amenda plays for Eintracht Frankfurt, Hajdari for Lugano. Neither has yet played a game for the senior national team. Eray Cömert, with 15 appearances for the national team, could be an option, although he has mostly been deployed in defensive midfield.
The question remains as to how this shortage came about. Yakin had considered converting Denis Zakaria to a defender, but an injury prevented this. The coach failed to build up a “second line” in defense, which is now taking its revenge.
Tactical uncertainty
It remains to be seen what tactical considerations Yakin will make. Tami says he cannot comment on the coach’s ideas. “Murat will observe exactly which players work best in which system during training.” Yakin will have to improvise in the decisive group games.
On Friday, only a win counts in the home game against Serbia. Without three points, there is a risk of direct relegation to League B. Even with a win, the last place in the group could still be possible, as Switzerland will have to face European champions Spain in the final round.
The starting position is difficult and the injury list is getting longer and longer. Yakin, who boasts that he has never been relegated in his career, is facing an unpleasant premiere.
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