Switzerland will face England in the Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday with a fully fit squad.
A major relief for Switzerland came on Wednesday when it was confirmed that key midfielder Granit Xhaka will be available for the game. Xhaka, who had been experiencing adductor pain during their 2-0 victory over Italy last Saturday, has been cleared to play.
After an impressive season with Bayer Leverkusen, Xhaka dominated the game against Italy, earning the player of the match award. His presence will be a significant challenge for the England midfield, which has occasionally struggled to control games against theoretically weaker opponents.
Nevertheless, Xhaka is not the only threat England needs to prepare for. Ruben Vargas scored a brilliant goal against Italy, and winger Dan Ndoye has attracted interest from Manchester United and Inter Milan after strong performances against Germany and Italy. Michel Aebischer is another player who could pose problems for the English defense. Usually a defensive midfielder for Bologna, Aebischer has been deployed as a left wing-back. In possession, he often drifts into central areas, allowing left centre-back Ricardo Rodriguez to overlap and overload the opposition’s right side.
Aebischer’s movements and coordination with Rodriguez and Ndoye have troubled many teams so far. To counter this, England might switch to a back three on Saturday.
