Our prediction for this Nations League match:
All eyes will be on Stade de Geneve when Switzerland and Spain go head to head in an eagerly-awaited UEFA Nations League game. Switzerland failed to impress in a 2-0 loss to Denmark at Parken Stadium, but it has to be noted that Nico Elvedi was sent off early in the second half. As a result, the Borussia M’gladbach midfielder misses Sunday’s game through suspension, with Sturm Graz man Gregory Wuthrich likely to step up.
La Roja, on the other hand, produced un under-par performance in a goalless draw with Serbia, but seeing that important midfielder Rodri is back from suspension, we are tempted to place our bets on Luis de la Fuente’s troops. Real Sociedad ace Mikel Oyarzabal is pushing for a start as well after coming as a substitute in the Stadion Rajko Mitic clash. In their last meeting in the Nations League Switzerland defeated Spain 2-1, meaning that the visitors are hungry for revenge.
Highlighted Player (Dani Olmo):
After starting his youth career at Espanyol, Dani Olmo moved to fellow Catalan side Barcelona in 2007 at the age of nine. The Spanish player born in Terrasa on May 7, 1998 then moved to Dinamo Zagreb, where he established himself as a first-team regular.
Dani Olmo was on the verge of leaving the Croatian club in the summer of 2019, but he eventually stayed at Stadion Maksimir. Olmo is one of the most talented footballers in Spain and he helped the U21 team clinch the Euro 2019 trophy. La Furia Roja defeated Germany in the final of the tournament, with Olmo being named Man of the match.
The Spanish attacking midfielder, who is used as a winger as well, was named the Croatian First Football League player of the year for 2018. His preferred foot is right and he has a contract with Dinamo Zagreb until June 30, 2021.
Highlighted Team (Switzerland):
While missing the first ever World Cup, Switzerland played at next four, reaching the quarter-finals on three occasions, but they were unable to repeat the success in next six appearances. Nati reached the first knockout stage in 1994, 2006 and 2014, but they couldn’t make the next step.
When it comes to their European Championship appearances, the situation is even worse, as the team only qualified for the 1996, 2004 and 2016 finals, while they automatically qualified for the 2008 tournament together with co-hosts Austria. Switzerland national team of late have profited from the multicultural environment, as they appear to have closed the gap behind top European sides and also adopted a more adventurous style of play.
The new generation is probably the most talented yet, with players like Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Ricardo Rodriguez and Valon Behrami all held in high regard. Nati now have a unique chance to try and reach the closing stages of a major tournament as their key men are either at their peak or will be there in the next couple of years.