Nati aims to face Slovenia strongly in Lucerne, pitch raises concerns
In the Thermoplan‑Arena stadium in Lucerne there is a wet, soft pitch, while coach Murat Yakin stands in front of microphones. The Nati wants to appear focused and strong on Saturday in the 3rd Nations League match against Slovenia. Yakin emphasizes that all players are fit, but the playing surface is causing concerns.
Tactical instructions from Murat Yakin
Yakin explains that they will target one or two movements specifically at the opponent. With their own pressing and forechecking, Switzerland wants to put pressure on the cleverly playing, flexible Slovenians. He stresses that it is up to the Nati to allow or prevent the opponents' flexible play.
Details about the lineup remain secret, but Yakin reveals that he can draw from a deep pool. In his press conference the word “adjust” slipped out, which he quickly corrected to: “One will …” – a hint that no comprehensive adjustment strategy is being communicated.
History, players and pitch conditions
This is the third duel with Slovenia, which is only ranked 53rd in the FIFA world rankings, within 13 months. In the 2025 World Cup qualification Switzerland won at home 3-0, away the match ended 0-0 – both times with Remo Freuler in midfield.
Freuler, the most experienced midfield player, wants to pass his routine on to the younger players. He praises the 21‑year‑old right‑back Zachary Athekame as a “refreshing element” and describes Ardon Jashari, 24, as a “super‑player”, but hopes that Jashari will get more playing time at AC Milan.
Switzerland has lost several key players compared to 2025 – Granit Xhaka, Breel Embolo and Silvan Widmer are missing. For the Slovenians, the coaching change in January saw Bostjan Cesar replace Matjaz Kek and already achieve two wins, most recently 2-0 against North Macedonia.
All players are ready to play, including Cedric Itten, who after a blow to the foot is receiving an individual training session. Yakin, however, expresses concerns about the wet, soft pitch: “Football needs rhythm and flow, we hope we can manage with that.” Therefore a secondary pitch was used for the final training.
A home win could almost certainly catapult Switzerland into League A, but Yakin warns that it is too early for that and that each game should be assessed individually. The combination of tactical preparation, experienced leaders and the concern over the pitch makes the duel a decisive test.