Switzerland's Depth Shines Without Xhaka and Embolo in Nations League Win
Switzerland proved that no player is bigger than the team, cruising to a 3-0 victory over North Macedonia in their Nations League opener, all while missing captain Granit Xhaka and star striker Breel Embolo. The performance sends a clear message ahead of their clash with Scotland at Hampden: this squad has the depth and discipline to compete at the highest level.
The absences stem from two separate controversies. Xhaka, now 34 and plying his trade with Olympiacos after a summer move from Sunderland, was left out of the squad entirely. Swiss prosecutors are investigating the midfielder over an alleged confession that he used a fake certificate to dodge a mandatory Covid vaccination. Then, on the eve of the match in Skopje, the Swiss Football Association announced that Embolo, 29, who joined Atlanta United from Rennes in August, had informed them about a personal matter that had surfaced in the media. Embolo was already suspended for the opener due to a red card picked up against Argentina, but he will now also miss the upcoming home matches against Slovenia on 3 October and the return fixture with North Macedonia three days later.
The Swiss FA's statement was firm: the team would complete its training camp without Embolo to keep the focus squarely on the Nations League campaign. And focus they did. Remo Freuler, stepping up in the absence of the usual stars, opened the scoring with his first international goal in nearly two years, finishing off a neat move that began with a header from Burnley midfielder Zeki Amdouni.
Freuler, asked about Xhaka's absence, was diplomatic but direct.
We don't need to talk about Granit. He's a player who can't be replaced. As a team, we have to make up for that. We did a great job of that against North Macedonia. Let's hope it continues this way and that Granit comes back soon.He added,
We had a few new players and they all did very well. It was a perfect match for us really.
Amdouni bagged a brace himself, scoring three minutes before half-time and again with 15 minutes remaining, though North Macedonia's goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski might have done better on the first. The real story, however, was the debut of 21-year-old right-back Zachary Athekame, on loan at Lyon from AC Milan, who provided both assists in an impressive first outing. Parma's Sascha Britschgi and Sion's Winsley Boteli also earned their first senior caps from the bench, while Milan's Ardon Jashari marshalled the midfield in Xhaka's stead.
This victory extends Switzerland's run to just one defeat in their last 10 matches, a 3-1 extra-time loss to Argentina in the World Cup quarter-final. Head coach Murat Yakin was pleased but measured.
The first half was very good indeed. The shot count was 17-1 to us. We are very strong at pressing teams and that's why we did so well at the World Cup. It worked well again against North Macedonia.He acknowledged a dip in the second half, saying,
We weren't as good in the second half and they came into the game and created a few chances but they weren't really dangerous.The final stats backed him up: 22 goal attempts for Switzerland, 13 on target, against just two off-target efforts for the hosts.
Yakin's philosophy is clear.
We've worked with these players who were here. We've never complained and there's always an opportunity for other players.That meritocratic approach is paying dividends, and it's a lesson in squad management that many teams, including those in the Americas, could learn from.
For Switzerland, the immediate challenge is Scotland at Hampden. With Xhaka and Embolo out, the pressure is on the new generation to deliver again. If Saturday's performance is anything to go by, they are more than up to the task. The team is showing that institutional strength, not individual stardom, is the bedrock of sustained success.