Switzerland manager Murat Yakin has stirred the pot ahead of their Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with England by comparing Gareth Southgate's squad to Scotland. The Swiss team - who recently knocked out Italy with a 2-0 surprise result - will face the Three Lions on Saturday afternoon.
Despite not having won against England since 1981, Yakin's confidence was evident as he made the controversial comparison outside his usual media commitments. And his comments may ruffle some feathers within the English camp given the historic rivalry against Scotland.
However, Southgate could turn it into a motivational tool for his players, much like he did before their match against Slovakia. It was then that a member of the opposing team questioned the unity and spirit of the Three Lions.
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Switzerland's chief stoked the flames ahead of Saturday's clash, as reported by Le Matin (via The Mirror): "If I compare the two teams, the value of the English players is much greater than ours. But it's going to be an open game. They've struggled against teams that are behind, it's never easy. We know England's strengths, but we also know their weaknesses.
"It will be a completely different game, with cultural differences. England have a vertical style of play, but if we push them, we'll make it difficult for them. It's a bit reminiscent of what we saw against Scotland, with those long balls and second balls."
The Swiss coach acknowledged the challenge of preparing for such a game: "It makes the match a little unpredictable. We can't train too much for that. We'll just have to find the right solution to deal with them."
Despite England's preference for a grounded passing game, as seen throughout the tournament, they resorted to more direct tactics in critical moments against Slovakia. Southgate's decision to shift Saka to left-wing-back and bring on Toney to partner Harry Kane was a departure from the norm, with long throw-ins and set-pieces leading to both goals against the Slovakians.
England's quality may still be questioned, but their unity and spirit were evident in the tense final stages of their round-of-16 win. The occasion was also marked by exuberant celebrations and committed defending.
John Stones revealed Southgate used a provocative comment from Slovakia's camp to fuel the England squad ahead of that showdown. The Manchester City defender confirmed the accusation against the team's unity was a key driver in their fiery response when he said: "We got shown a quote from one of their players before saying about our togetherness and our spirit."
Elaborating on the impact of those words, Stones admitted: "I think that gave us a bit of fire in our bellies in that dressing room. We played with our hearts on our sleeves at the end."
Praising his team-mates, he also highlighted: "I think the boys off the bench made a huge impact and that's credit to them because it is not easy, not getting the minutes that they want and having that attitude to come on and put themselves about."
