Norway-Switzerland is a match in the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship 2023 and is played on Thursday at 18:00: news, formations and predictions.
We are in Italy’s group, in which the first two places should – to use the conditional in these cases is a must – be the prerogative of the Azzurri and France, ready to clash on the first day. According to the predictions made on the eve of the match, Norway and Switzerland will be content with the crumbs, but it would be a serious mistake if they were to be overestimated. Not least because they have everything they need to have their say.
Norway, whose best results in this competition are the semi-finals in 1998 and 2013, return to play a final stage after 10 years. It particularly shone in the qualifiers, winning eight out of ten matches and forcing Croatia to go through the playoffs. The boys led by Leif Gunnar Smerud, however, have disappointed in recent friendlies, picking up only two wins out of eight. Success has been missing since November, when the Scandinavians overwhelmed the Czech Republic 4-0. Since that game there have been two defeats (Portugal and Holland) and as many draws, both with Scotland. Obviously there will be no Erling Haaland, who has only played a handful of games with the Under-21s, nor the striker Larsen, who scored six goals in the qualifiers. The familiar face is Erik Botheim, centre forward of Salernitana and former Bodo/Glimt.
Some believe that one of the potential outsiders could be Switzerland, who have qualified for the final stage for the fourth time in their history.
Amdouni
It will be very difficult to replicate the second place of 2011, but the selection led by Patrick Rahmen can count on several high-level players, who also showed themselves during the qualifications: Switzerland, despite finishing behind the Netherlands, avoided the playoffs thanks to having scored more points than the other second-placed teams and snatching the direct pass for the international championship. Up front, they will need to watch out for Basel’s Amdouni, but Rieder and Sohm, who plays in the B league with Parma, are also to watch out for.
The prediction
This will be a very balanced match between two sides who will try to give the favourites France and Italy a run for their money, despite being more than a step below the Italians and the French. In last September’s friendly, Norway prevailed 3-2 over the Helvetians in the last 20 minutes of the game. We could see an eventful match this time as well, with at least one goal on each side. A draw cannot be ruled out.
Norway v Switzerland official lineups
- NORWAY U21 (4-3-3): Klaesson; Sebulonsen, Daland, Heggheim, Hjelde; Kitolano, Mannsverk, Hove; Bobb, Botheim, Evjen.
- SWITZERLAND U21 (4-2-3-1): Saipi; Blum, Kronic, Stegiou, Vouilloz; Bares, Sohm; Ndoye, Imeri, Males; Stojilkovic.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
