Switzerland vs Spain LIVE: Euro 2020 team news, line-ups and more today
Follow live coverage as Switzerland take on Spain in St Petersburg tonight as the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 get under way. Belgium vs Italy, Denmark vs Czech Republic and England vs Ukraine are still to come but first it’s the Swiss, fresh from their momentous win over world champions France on penalties, against a Spanish side who are starting to find their groove.
Spain thumped Slovakia in their final group game and then won a thriller with Croatia in extra time, racking up 10 goals across the two games. The defensive lapses which let Croatia back into their last-16 tie will be a concern but Luis Enrique must be delighted to see Alvaro Morata on the scoresheet, while the likes of Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo all look threatening when they’re involved. The Swiss must do without Granit Xhaka who is suspended, and perhaps their biggest challenge here will bringing themselves back down to earth after that emotional night against the French.
Follow all the latest updates from the Euro 2020 quarter-final below.
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Euro 2020: Quarter-finals mark dividing line between pretenders and potential champions
For those who have gone the distance in international tournaments, the quarter-finals have always been a key moment.
They are a competition’s real dividing line, that add a sense of truth to the sudden-death knockouts so far. The last-eight ties separate the formidable from the fortunate; the great from the good; those happy to be there from those driven to win the trophy.
The general feeling is that luck and the odd good day can get you this far, but they are rarely enough to get you past it. It is where deeper substance is required:
Euro 2020 quarter-finals mark dividing line between pretenders and potential champions
The last-eight ties separate the formidable from the fortunate; the great from the good; those happy to be there from those driven to win the trophy
Euro 2020: Simon explains Croatia howler
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon will be looking to put his performance in the last match versus Croatia behind him after his unforgettable first-half howler put his team behind.
He failed to control a 49-yard back pass from Pedri and allowed the ball to roll into his own net before redeeming himself later in the game with a couple of great saves in extra-time to keep the match on level terms allowing Spain to eventually find the winning goals.
But Simon admits the mistake was playing on his mind and he’s looked at how to rectify the problem ahead of tonight’s game versus Switzerland.
“It was a mis-control,” said Simon. “I’ve seen it six or seven times now and I’ve got a bit worked up about it.
“The sun’s not bothering me and it doesn’t bounce awkwardly. I think I tried to get the ball out of my feet by controlling it instead of stopping it. It’s an accident and something that can be fixed.”
Euro 2020: No Xhaka for Switzerland
Switzerland face another massive challenge this evening as they come up against three-time European champions Spain.
Their task is that much harder with the absence of Granit Xhaka. The Swiss captain was instrumental in their win over France and was given the Star of the Match award by Uefa for his dominating display in midfield.
However, during that game he picked up a second yellow card for the tournament which means he is suspended from tonight’s game. If Switzerland are to pull off another unlikely victory tonight they’ll have to do so without their captain.
Luis Enrique knows Spain face tough challenge against Switzerland
No hiding the fact from Luis Enrique that his team will have to be at their best to beat the Swiss.
“The reality is Switzerland have got through and nothing else matters,” Enrique told a press conference.
“The good thing for us is that both teams know each other very well. We competed recently in the Nations League.”
Luis Enrique bracing Spain for difficult night against ‘very tough’ Switzerland at Euro 2020
Quarter-final tie awaits the Spaniards after their victory over Croatia
Euro 2020: Switzerland ‘hungry for more’ says Petkovic
Switzerland manager Vladimir Petkovic is determined to take his team as far as possible in Euro 2020 after their dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in the round of 16.
The Swiss now face three-time champions Spain in the quarter-finals with Petkovic saying his side ‘want to go a step further’ in the tournament.
“We have done very well to reach the quarter-finals but we are not content and we are hungry for more.” He said,
“We know we are playing one of the tournament favourites but we won’t be overwhelmed after eliminating France. We will be mentally prepared for another massive challenge.”
Spain’s predicted line-up against Switzerland
Luis Enrique is still chopping and changing, to an extent, as he searches for the right balance in the team. The attack is better recently, but the defence has been wide-open and susceptible – perhaps no surprise, then, that we see another change there according to the reports in Spain.
AS say Jordi Alba will return at left-back and Eric Garcia will get the nod to partner Aymeric Laporte once again, with Pau Torres really struggling after coming on as sub in the last 16.
Their reported XI: Unai Simon; Azpilicueta, Garcia, Laporte, Alba; Busquets, Koke, Pedri; Sarabia, Morata, F Torres.
Spain’s route to the last eight at Euro 2020
All things considered, the Swiss have done well to reach the last eight by winning a single game so far – although they’ll point to Portugal not doing much more en route to winning Euro 2016, perhaps.
Spain have improved as the tournament has gone on, finding the scoring boots to rattle in 10 goals in two games – but it has been painful along the way.
They started off with a frustrating 0-0 draw with Sweden despite a huge majority of possession in the game, before also drawing 1-1 with Poland. Needing a win in their final group game to go through, they were given a huge helping hand, literally, by Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka palming the ball into his own net for the opening goal – before Spain went on to crush them, 5-0.
In the last 16 it was the tie of the round, a back-and-forth encounter with Croatia ending 3-3 after 90 minutes as Spain collapsed late on in the game, before turning matters back in their favour with quickfire extra time goals, 5-3 the eventual result.
Switzerland’s route to the last eight at Euro 2020
Two more victories at this stage and it’s national party time – the final beckons. But to get here, four games apiece have already been navigated.
Switzerland drew 1-1 with Wales in their opening match, a game they probably should have won but spurned several chances in. Then came a 3-0 drubbing by Italy – who they could feasibly face again in the semis – before the vital 3-1 victory over Turkey in the final group stage fixture.
That set up a third-place finish and a spot in the last 16 against France, which most had them down to lose…but a late comeback saw them score twice in the final ten minutes for a 3-3 draw, take the game to extra time and penalties, and win 5-4 from the spot.
Euro 2020: Switzerland vs Spain
Switzerland are taking on Spain in St Petersburg tonight as the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 get under way. Belgium vs Italy, Denmark vs Czech Republic and England vs Ukraine are still to come but first it’s the Swiss, fresh from their momentous win over world champions France on penalties, against a Spanish side who are starting to find their groove.
Spain thumped Slovakia in their final group game and then won a thriller with Croatia in extra time, racking up 10 goals across the two games. The defensive lapses which let Croatia back into their last-16 tie will be a concern but Luis Enrique must be delighted to see Alvaro Morata on the scoresheet, while the likes of Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo all look threatening when they’re involved. The Swiss must do without Granit Xhaka who is suspended, and perhaps their biggest challenge here will bringing themselves back down to earth after that emotional night against the French.
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