Switzerland v Czech Republic is the sixth Nations League match of the season on Tuesday at 20:45.
Not content with having actively contributed to the failure of reigning European champions Italy to qualify for the next World Cup, Switzerland enjoyed disrupting the plans of the two first-place contenders in Nations League Group 2, Portugal and Spain. Yet after the first three days of the group, the Swiss selection seemed with one foot and a half in League B, having started with three consecutive defeats. However, Murat Yakin’s men managed to turn the situation around, achieving an important and prestigious double success – which also gives confidence and morale in view of the Qatari adventure – against the favourites to win the round.
Last June, thanks to a goal from ex-Florentine Seferovic, the red and whites had won their first three points against CR7 and his team-mates, while three days ago they even went on to win in Zaragoza, compromising the path of Luis Enrique’s Roja: Akanji and Embolo made Jordi Alba’s equaliser useless. It was an invaluable success for Switzerland, who were thus able to move out of last place and overtake the Czech Republic, who were overwhelmed 4-0 by Portugal. In St. Gallen, the Swiss only need not lose to be sure of playing in the A League in the next edition. The Czechs had made an exciting start to the season with four points between Switzerland (2-1) and Spain (2-2). Jaroslav Silhavy’s team then collapsed, losing three in a row and conceding eight goals without scoring any.
Schick
The Prediction
Switzerland and the Czech Republic are living opposite lives and it seems an eternity since the first leg played last June. The Swiss have what it takes to avoid defeat and remain in League A, condemning Schick and his team-mates to relegation to the lower division, but in the match in St. Gallen the Czech attack could be unblocked, bearing in mind the heavy absence of the disqualified Akanji in the Swiss rearguard
The likely line-up for Switzerland v Czech Republic
- SWITZERLAND (4-3-3): Sommer; Widmer, Elvedi, Schar, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka, Sow; Shaqiri, Embolo, Vargas.
- REPUBLIC CZECH REPUBLIC (3-4-3): Vaclik; Kudela, Zima, Jemelka; Coufal, Sevcik, Soucek, Zeleny; Cerny, Schick, Hlozek.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
