SWITZERLAND should “not be scared of anybody” and have the belief and momentum to down England.
That is according to 47-year-old Raphael Wicky, who led Young Boys to the Swiss Super League and Cup double last year.
When asked by Sun Sport if Murat Yakin’s side can create history in Germany by overcoming England to reach their first semi-final, the ex-Atletico Madrid star said: “Absolutely, the belief is there.
“The energy in the country after the performances from the players is amazing and everyone has the right to dream big.
“The momentum is really positive for the team, and you can see that even if players don’t play, they are all happy for each other and celebrate together.
“Playing Hungary and Scotland, the expectation was that we needed four or six points from both fans and the players and staff.
“Then, Switzerland played one of the best tactical games in the last few years against Germany where they were very strong defensively and they interrupted the German game very impressively.
“They then dominated Italy completely, but dominated not defensively but with the ball.
“So we have shown that we have a lot of different ways to play and be very solid in defensive but very dominant with the ball.
“That’s why I don’t believe that we should be scared of anybody right now. The momentum is very big with Switzerland.”
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Yakin’s team have lined-up in a 3-4-3 formation so far, and Wicky believes that will be the case again against Gareth Southgate’s England in the quarters.
The ex-Basel coach said: “Switzerland have played it very well this tournament, it’s very fluid, they can press high and remain in a low block without possession.
“There is no reason to have a change but there was not really to change and after the first game we did because they had a plan.
“I don’t expect many, but it is possible there are one or two changes.
“He may bring Silvan Widmer back in a right wing-back, which will be a little bit more defensive, and put Dan Ndoye back into his wing position, that is a possibility.
“I don’t think anything will change on the left, but on the right it is possible – but for sure there will be no changes in the midfield, that will be Remo Freuler and Granit Xhaka.
“They have worked very well together for many years and they are the heart of this team.”
Wicky continued: “I think Embolo will play, but it depends on his fitness. He had a big injury and didn’t play much after being out with an ACL.
“So he did not play for Monaco much and now, at a tournament where he plays every three or four days, the biggest question is how is his body doing?
“But they’ve had a longer break now and it should be enough time to recover, then I expect him to go in.”
So who exactly are the Swiss stars looking to roll over Gareth Southgate’s side?
Wicky told SunSport in his own words:
“A proven world class goalkeeper for many years and he is so important because of his experience, calmness and he is really, really good with his feet as well as being a good shotstopper.
“He is a very, very important piece for this team.”
“A lot of experience and has been with the national team a long time.
“His strengths are also that he is very calm and good with the ball, his diagonal passing fits very well to this system with the width on both sides.”
“A world class defender who I coached in Basel before he went to Dortmund and I’m not surprised with how his career has gone.
“He is one of THE most important parts of this team with his overall package; strong is duels, very fast and he is unbelievably intelligent when in possession which helps a lot to build.”
“A different player from Schar and Akanji, he was originally a left-back, but just as much experience and intelligence.
“But I think that he is perfectly suited to play a back three as he’s the left-footed but he is always able to make a numerical advantage on the left hand as he often goes to help the wing-back on the offensive.
“So this suits him as he is used to going forward from playing as a left-back.”
IT might be time for England to try something different at these Euros, writes Jurgen Klinsmann.
Maybe Gareth Southgate will want to start the quarter-final against Switzerland in a 4-4-2 formation, with Ivan Toney alongside Harry Kane up front.
I think it might work, and if Gareth feels the same, he should do it.
This is the time when, as a manager at a tournament, you have to trust your gut instinct and never hold back from unpopular decisions.
The quarter-finals are make-or-break time. Win and you’re in the last four and everyone respects you.
Lose and it’s not acceptable for big nations like England, Germany, France and Spain.
England are facing the best Swiss team of all time on Saturday – and it is certain to be another rollercoaster.
I understand there can be snobbery about playing a 4-4-2 but sometimes you have to do something different.
It can still be a fantastic system — two hard-working frontmen like Kane and Toney can be a real threat to the opposition.
I think England need to surprise the Swiss, to try something different.
And that just might be a good old-fashioned 4-4-2.
Read Jurgen Klinsmann’s column in full.
Or check out all of Jurgen’s Euro 2024 opinions.
“Ndoye is a very fast winger and a very vertical player who is always a threat when one-on-one with a defender.
“He offers something different to the other players that we have.”
“It did not quite work out as he’d have wanted at Nottingham Forest so English fans may not have seen the real side of him but he’s another very experienced player.
“He played for many years in Italy and has a very good tactical understanding. He’s everywhere, sees the spaces very well and he is a box-to-box midfielder.
“For me, he is the complete team player – the team always comes first and that is why everyone really respects him in Switzerland.”
“Swiss fans love him – he is with Sommer and Akanji the rhythm of our game, they are the leaders.
“He is the captain, leader and along with those other guys, he is the most important player in this team.”
A central midfielder originally, he may play defensively as a left wing-back but in possession he usually goes into the centre to create an overload.
“He then has the full freedom to go into the No.10 and No.8 position and float around and that has worked really well.
“But then he has to defend as a left wing-back, where he did not often play for his club. So he and Ndoye are completely different players but the combination works well on the flanks.”
Despite only being 22, he is very mature for his age.
Has an extremely good left foot and engine, a real box-to-box central midfielder with big volume.
He’s similar to Ndoye and is also a winger and a big threat with his pace and in one-on-one situations.
In them, we have two players that whenever they receive the ball wide, they are always a threat.
He has made a great progression from playing in Germany the last few years. We need this mix of vertical players to go with our good central midfield players.
“He is completely different to Shakiri, who would play as a false nine, and have the freedom to go anywhere and drop between the lines, but then you relieve the threat from Vargas and Ndoye to go in behind.
“With Embolo, he is very strong, very physical and can hold the ball. And that would provide a very different problem for the English defenders than Xherdan Shaqiri.”
Wicky played twice for Switzerland at the European Championship and won honours for Sion, Werder Bremen, Atletico and Hamburg before retiring in 2008 after a stint in America.
His coaching career started at youth level with youth sides FC Thun, Servette and Basel before he took over their first-team late in the 2016/17 season.
They wrapped up the title days later and followed that up with Swiss Cup success but he left the club the following summer after they finished runners-up.
Wicky then had spells as USA under-17 and Chicago Fire in the MLS but returned to his homeland in June 2022.
He took over Young Boys and led them to a Swiss double in his first season in charge but he left them in March despite them still being a point clear in the title race.
Wicky is working as a pundit for Swiss TV throughout Euro 2024 but is looking forward to a challenge that excites and feels right enough for him.
He added: “I’m enjoying some time off because, as every coach will tell you, the job is very intense so I’m enjoying this little bit of a break.
“I always say though that I’m not just searching for A job – I’m very open if there is an interesting project that I can work with good people who have the same philosophies of how I see the game.
“Whenever there is a good possibility then I am open, but I’m also very relaxed at the moment and don’t need to just jump into any job. It needs to feel right.”
