Switzerland vs Slovenia - prediction, team news, lineups

With maximum points connected the board, Switzerland volition question a 3rd triumph successful 8 days erstwhile they big Slovenia successful the UEFA Nations League connected Saturday evening.

The Swiss are aiming to instrumentality a choky grip connected apical spot, but their closest challengers successful League B Group 1 tin assertion the acme with triumph successful Lucerne.

Match preview

Living up to their tag arsenic favourites for promotion from Group 1, Switzerland yet cruised to a 3-0 triumph successful Scotland connected Tuesday night, arsenic Zeki Amdouni scored his 3rd extremity successful 2 games.

Following earlier strikes by antiaircraft duo Ricardo Rodriguez and Nico Elvedi, his precocious decorativeness sealed the woody astatine Hampden Park, with the visitors benefiting from playing much than 80 minutes against 10 men.

Ranked 14th by FIFA aft their caller tally to the World Cup quarter-finals - and regulars successful the knockout rounds astatine astir large tournaments - Murat Yakin's broadside volition expect to spell connected and assertion archetypal place.

Yakin was wide criticised erstwhile Switzerland took conscionable 2 points from their erstwhile Nations League campaign, but they are connected way to bounce consecutive backmost from relegation. 

Two much games stay successful this existent camp, with Die Nati acceptable to look some second-placed Slovenia and aboriginal strugglers North Macedonia connected location turf. 

Slovenia claimed their archetypal triumph of their Nations League run erstwhile they welcomed North Macedonia to Ljubljana connected Tuesday, aft an opening 0-0 gully against Scotland. 

Udinese midfielder Sandri Lovric made the breakthrough soon aft fractional time, earlier Aljosa Matko scored his archetypal planetary extremity successful the closing stages.

So, caput manager Bostjan Cesar remains unbeaten successful competitory matches, portion his wide grounds reads 2 wins, 2 defeats and 2 draws.

Cesar's assignment came aft dismal results successful some the erstwhile Nations League and World Cup qualifying, wherever Slovenia finished a distant third.

Topping the second radical were Saturday's hosts, who won 3-0 erstwhile the Slovenians visited Switzerland conscionable implicit a twelvemonth ago.

Including that loss, they person suffered 4 defeats from the past six meetings, truthful past is intelligibly not connected the visitors' side.

Switzerland Nations League form:

Slovenia Nations League form:

Team News

Both captain Granit Xhaka and prima striker Breel Embolo were not called up for Switzerland duty, having reportedly admitted utilizing a mendacious COVID-19 certificate respective years ago.

That has outgo the hosts 244 caps worthy of acquisition - and the influential brace person scored a combined 44 planetary goals - but Amdouni is proving a good replacement for Embolo.

Amid specified a hectic schedule, Yakin whitethorn determine to rotate, though Nottingham Forest winger Dan Ndoye volition expect to support his spot aft signaling 2 assists connected Monday.

A prima of the World Cup's opening fortnight, Johan Manzambi has started some games truthful far, having precocious recovered from the genu wounded that cruelly ended his archetypal large tournament.

Meanwhile, Slovenia's main antheral Benjamin Sesko was ruled retired of this campy by a persistent shin problem. In his continued absence, Swansea City guardant Zan Vipotnik should pb the enactment successful Lucerne.

As ever, skipper and goalkeeper Jan Oblak volition diagnostic betwixt the posts, winning his 87th planetary cap. 

Switzerland imaginable starting lineup:

Kobel; Britschgi, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Sow; Ndoye, Manzambi, Monteiro; Amdouni

Slovenia imaginable starting lineup:

Oblak; Karnicnik, Bijol, Brekalo, Janza; Cerin, Elsnik; Begic, Lovric, Sturm; Vipotnik

We say: Switzerland 3-1 Slovenia

The hosts are successful good signifier contempt the lack of 2 integral players, and each aboriginal grounds suggests they should stroll consecutive backmost into League A.

So, Switzerland volition scope maximum points astatine the halfway mark, portion inconsistent Slovenia volition endure different decision connected Swiss soil.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.