SWITZERLAND IN RACE TO MAKE THE KNOCKOUT STAGE OF EURO 2016

Switzerland are in a very tough race to make the knockout stage of the continental tournament in France, especially as they are in a tough group.


They are in Group A and will take on the hosts France, play old faces Romania and new entrant Albania at the tournament. Switzerland have never made it past the group stage of the tournament and will be hoping to break the jinx this year.

France are the clear favourites to top the group with an easy route to the knock-out stages, after all they are taking on a team who have never qualified before, another who have not made a mark on a major tournament since the turn of the century and the Swiss, who are going into this tournament with low expectations.

The Swiss are hoping they join the French team as second place ahead of Romania. They have the advantage on paper as Albania might be out already when they play them in the third and final group fixture. Switzerland will be banking on their playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri to lift the team at the games. The Stoke City ace is in good form since moving from German outfit, Bayern Munich as he was tired of sitting on the bench.

FC Basel youngster Breel Embolo would be looking at making a name for himself at the tournament after helping the his country place second in their qualifying group with seven wins out of 10 games played. The Swiss also have Arsenal recently acquired Granit Xhaka who is a very talented midfielder. The team lacks the spark based on current form but the young squad has the chance to prove they have matured and would avoid a repeat of the 5-2 defeat to France in 2014.