Nations League : Portugal Vs Switzerland Match Preview, LIne Ups, Match Info

 

Switzerland and Portugal will meet in a UEFA Nations League Group A2 fixture on Sunday with the competition approaching its midway point. It will be the case of who wants it most with the two sides experiencing different fortunes since the commence of this new campaign.

The Swiss will be eager for a first win in this edition and have showed signs of progress to effect. Following defeats to Czech Republic and Portugal, Murat Yakin's men suffered an agonizing defeat against Spain on Thursday's night. Pablo Sarabia's strike proved to be the difference maker for the Spaniards, subsequently condemning the Rossocrociati to the base of the group table.

So far, Switzerland have picked up four defeats and a draw in their last five matches. They have also only won one of their last five Nations League games on home soil. However, they could take solace in the fact that they were able to defeat Portugal in the World Cup qualifying game at home ahead of the 2018 edition of the competition in Russia.

Although the above accomplishment is subtly admirable, it cannot rival the fact that Portugal have been a handful for the Swiss in recent years. It is worth noting that since that defeat in the World Cup qualifying round, the Seleccao have been victorious in all the three matches they have played against the men in white and red. They will go into Sunday's clash buoyed by the fact that they have one foot already in the finals of the 2022-23 Nations League.

After holding Spain to a 1-1 draw in the group opener, Fernando Santos' men followed suit with successive 4-0 and 2-0 wins over Switzerland and Czech Republic respectively. The former European champions are currently on a five-game unbeaten run and have also picked up just one defeat in their last 12 outings across all competitions. Remarkably, Santos's men have not suffered a single defeat away from home in the Nations League since its inception and will aim to keep the run going  although they are set to be without Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho and Raphael Guerreiro for this weekend's trip to Geneva.

Form guide

  • Switzerland (most recent match first): LLLDLW

  • Portugal (most recent match first): WWDWWL.

Predicted starting XI

  • Switzerland: Sommer; Lotomba, Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Sow; Steffen, Shaqiri, Okafor; Embolo

  • Portugal: Patricio; Dalot, Pereira, Carmo, Mendes; B. Silva, Neves, Fernandes; Jota, A. Silva, Leao.

What are the coaches saying ahead of the fixture?

Murat Yakin, Switzerland coach: "We shouldn't compare with what has gone before: not with the Portugal game [last week] nor with what we achieved in the autumn. We've made a few defensive errors which are punished at this level. Against Spain we improved and saw that we can hold our own tactically. I don't want to make major changes. Jonas Omlin will play because we said that everyone will get a chance. We'll see if Nico Elvedi can play. Same for Manuel Akanji."

Fernando Santos, Portugal coach: "Against Spain, [Switzerland] made substantial changes. They could have drawn: they were more aggressive. [Xherdan] Shaqiri played in front of the two midfielders against us, but against Spain he played on the right, much wider, making use of his left foot. He is a good player who finishes well. They will want to show that they can beat us but we want to do the same. I don't know how many changes I'll make to the starting XI, but there will be some. The players have responded well and are happy to be here. The Portuguese can be proud of them."

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