Euro 2024 is in full swing, with Switzerland and Italy set to meet at the Olympic Stadium in the German capital on Saturday in a clash that will determine who will reach the quarter-finals. This crucial knockout match will be crucial for both teams as they go all out to win.
The Swiss team had a good run at this tournament and were close to topping the group at one point. Although the Swiss suffered a last-minute goal against hosts Germany to slip away with victory, their overall performance in the group stage was still commendable. Yakin's Switzerland are unbeaten in three group games, progressing with one win and two draws. Their unbeaten streak has reached seven, with just one defeat in their last 17 international matches, giving Switzerland confidence in progressing to the quarter-finals of the European Championships.
Compared to Switzerland, Italy have been relatively conservative in this tournament. They failed to replicate their Euro 2020 triumph and Spalletti faced no small challenge in passing on Napoli's winning mentality to his national team. Italy had an up-and-down run in the group stage, narrowly beating Albania before losing to Spain. However, Mattia Zaccagni scored a crucial equaliser against Croatia to help his side thrillingly qualify for the tournament.
Looking at the all-time head-to-head record, Italy have a clear advantage when it comes to facing Switzerland. They are unbeaten in 11 meetings since 1993. However, the Swiss will not give up easily, and the confidence and quality they showed in the group stage gave them reason to believe they could beat an in-form Italy side in this knockout round.
In terms of players, the Swiss team faces some challenges. Defender Sylvain Widmer was unavailable due to accumulating yellow cards, which undoubtedly put some pressure on the team's defensive end. However, Stuttgart's Leonidas Stelgiu is expected to fill that void and provide a solid defence for the team. In addition, the injury situation of Denis Zakaria and Steven Zubair remains a concern, and their fitness will have a direct impact on the overall strength of the Swiss team.
The Italian team is also facing some personnel changes. Centre-back Ricardo Calafiori has been suspended for one match due to accumulating yellow cards, which could be replaced by Gianluca Mancini. Mattia Zaccagni, who scored the crucial equaliser, is expected to start the game and his performance will have a major impact on the Italian side in attack.