Switzerland midfielder Michel Aebischer acknowledged the challenge his team faces in their Euro 2024 last 16 match against Italy, set to take place in Berlin on Saturday. Aebischer emphasized that Italy, the reigning champions, have a deep-seated aversion to losing and stressed that Switzerland would be the underdog in the encounter.
Switzerland, initially poised to top Group A, ended up in second place behind Germany after conceding a late header from Niclas Fuellkrug in injury time. Reflecting on his time with Serie A side Bologna, Aebischer noted that his experience had given him valuable insight into the Italian football mentality.
“The Italians hate to lose,” Aebischer stated. “They are the reigning champions, they never give up… Italy are the favourite — there’s nothing more to say.”
Despite being on the easier side of the knockout draw, with several top teams like Germany, Portugal, Spain, and France on the opposite side, Aebischer dismissed the notion of an easy path for Switzerland. He pointed out that England, a potential quarter-final opponent, could pose a significant threat despite their underwhelming group stage performance.
“Of course, we saw that there are many big names in the other half of the table. But from the round of 16 onwards there are no easy opponents anyway,” he said. Aebischer also mentioned that while England “fell short of expectations,” he expects them to improve as the tournament progresses.
Switzerland will look to leverage their underdog status and Aebischer’s insights into Italian football to secure an upset against Italy in the highly anticipated match.
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