Switzerland and Belgium meet in a friendly today ahead of Euro 2016.
Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka
Switzerland starting line-up: Sommer; Lang, Senderos, Djourou, Rodriguez; Behrami, Dzemaili, Xhaka; Shaqiri, Mehmedi, Derdiyok.
Belgium starting line-up: Courtois; Witsel, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; Fellaini, Dembele; De Bruyne, Mertens, Hazard; Lukaku.
Switzerland and Belgium meet at the Stade de Geneve this afternoon as both teams prepare for this summer’s European Championships in France.
Picture Supplied by Action Images
With Euro 2016 looming on the horizon, teams are gearing up for the competition with friendly matches, with Switzerland looking to pick up some momentum.
Vladimir Petkovic’s side are in a manageable group alongside host nation France, Albania and Romania, but few are backing them to go much further than that.
Today, Petkovic has included most of his big-name players, as Stoke winger Xherdan Shaqiri starts, as does midfielder Granit Xhaka just days after he signed for Arsenal.
Picture Supplied by Action Images
Ex-Premier League players Philippe Senderos, Johan Djourou and Blerim Dzemaili all start, whilst Eren Derdiyok is given a chance to impress up front.
Meanwhile, Belgium again enter the tournament as a dark horse, just as they did at the World Cup before losing to Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Marc Wilmots needs to improve on that this time around, and there’s a major experiment in his team today as midfielder Axel Witsel starts at right back.
Belgium’s Jan Vertonghen celebrates with team mates
Tottenham trio Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele all start, as do other Premier League stars Thibaut Courtois, Marouane Fellaini, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku.
Belgium also have a strong bench, which features Simon Mignolet, Jason Denayer, Michy Batshuayi, Christian Benteke and Divock Origi, and will be favourites to win this clash with Euro 2016 now less than two weeks away.
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