Switzerland boss begins Italy mind games as Euro 2024 star starts blanking team-mates
Switzerland boss Murat Yakin is hoping to spring a surprise on Italy in their last-16 showdown at Euro 2024. The Azzurri have tinkered with their line-up since landing in Germany, and Yakin has suggested the Swiss could follow suit at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.
“We’ve done our homework,” he said. “We’re struck by how Italy can mix things up but we’re familiar with their alternatives. Italy are one of the teams that man mark all over the pitch - there aren’t too many teams that do that. But I want to focus more on our tactics and our shape so that we can control the opposition, and maybe even catch them off guard!”
Related articles Anthony Taylor criticised by UEFA referee chief over Euro 2024 use of VAR Bukayo Saka makes stance clear on playing left-back for EnglandYakin added: “There will be some changes to our team and that’s only natural. We have some substitutes who are ready to step in. We’re looking at two possible game plans.”
function loadOvpScript(){let el=document.createElement('script');el.setAttribute('src','https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=114291&playerApiId=v114291');document.getElementById('ovp-primis').appendChild(el)} window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v114291"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}});window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',()=>{setTimeout(()=>{if(typeof flagTcfLoaded!=='undefined'&&flagTcfLoaded===!0){loadOvpScript() ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP flagTcfLoaded',new Date())}else{document.addEventListener("tcfLoaded",()=>{loadOvpScript() ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP tcfLoaded',new Date())})}},1500)})Whichever plan Switzerland plump for is sure to include Yann Sommer between the sticks. The veteran goalkeeper earns his living with Italian giants Inter Milan, but he’s temporarily cut ties with his club team-mates to zone in on today’s contest.
“We’ve stopped contacting one another because we want to focus,” he said. “But I do keep in contact with them on a regular basis. I can’t wait to come up against them tomorrow.”
Yann Sommer has ceased contact with his Inter team-mates before facing them on Saturday (Image: Getty)Italy were underwhelming in Group B, winning just one of their three games and finishing miles behind Spain. With five points and an undefeated record, Switzerland enjoyed a better group-stage campaign by comparison. But Sommer has rubbished suggestions that his nation will go into the match as favourites.
“We’re up against the reigning European champions,” he stated. “Italy have also won the World Cup in the past. They are the favourites, but we will be ready and in the right frame of mind.”
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While the two talented sides will hope to put on an attacking show in Germany's capital, it will also be a battle of two established goalkeepers as standing in the opposite net to Sommer will be Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma.
"He is a top-class goalkeeper," said the Swiss stopper. "I’ve already come up against him in the past. He’s very young and yet he’s got a great deal of experience. He started his career very young. I like to watch him. I’ve got a goalkeeping coach at Inter who worked with Donnarumma in the past. He’s complete, he’s got great reflexes."
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Switzerland boss begins Italy mind games as Euro 2024 star starts blanking team-mates
Switzerland boss begins Italy mind games as Euro 2024 star starts blanking team-mates
Switzerland boss begins Italy mind games as Euro 2024 star starts blanking team-mates
Switzerland boss begins Italy mind games as Euro 2024 star starts blanking team-mates
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