Major injury concerns for Swiss national team

Michel Abisher and Ruben Vargas were not even included in the Swiss national team's squad for the games against Serbia and Spain. Now Manuel Akanji and Denis Zakaria are also canceled. And there is a risk of further failure.

Stefan Wyss, Allgäu Zeitung

On Thursday, national team coach Murat Yakin announced the shortlist for the final two Nations League games against Serbia and Spain. There's more trouble ahead over the weekend. According to “CH Media”, Manuel Akanji and Denis Zakaria were also not selected for the national team. Both are injured and will miss games for their respective clubs in Saturday's championship game.

Akanji came on as a substitute in Manchester City's 1-2 loss to Brighton. The club did not reveal exactly what the problem was. Manager Guardiola's statement did not indicate the seriousness of the injury. But Guardiola obviously doesn't want to take any risks, especially after four consecutive defeats, the English champions are going through a delicate phase, which has never happened to Guardiola. Akanji's failure is rare. The Zurich native has missed just one international match in the past two years.

Denis Zakaria missed the national team in October.Image: KEYSTONE

Denis Zakaria will also be away from the national team – as he was in October. He had been battling adductor issues in his right leg for several weeks. His last appearance for Monaco was three weeks ago. Zakaria is not the main player of the national team, but Yakin hopes to try the Genevan's three-man defense.

Gregor Kerber and Dan Ndoye highly questionable

Akanji and Zakaria weren't there, and neither were Michelle Abisher and Ruben Vargas. There's also a question mark behind Gregor Kerber's promise. The goalkeeper missed his third consecutive game with a hip problem in Dortmund's 3-1 loss to Mainz. Although he will travel to Zurich on Monday, he is unlikely to remain with the national team. Kerber is expected to undergo treatment at his club in the coming days.

Gregor Kerber also faces the risk of failure.Image: trapezoid

Dan Ndoye’s rejection was also expected. The Bologna winger hit the post with his shin against Roma on Sunday and had to be carried off the field and substituted just before half-time.

And then there's forward Brel Embolo: He's not really injured. But as his coach at Monaco, Adi Huth, said, he was “not 100 per cent either”. In the 3-1 win over Strasbourg, Embolo was substituted at half-time after a disappointing performance.

November 10, 2009: Goalkeeper Robert Enke commits suicide at a railroad crossing near his home. His suicide left the entire country breathless. Even weeks later, there was only one topic in the media: depression.

Reports came in Tuesday evening: Robert Enke has died. The German national goalkeeper committed suicide near Empede's home. At 6:25 p.m., the 32-year-old father was hit by a train. He died at the scene of the accident. Enke's family and their entire football community are shocked. Emotions of sadness, confusion and pain enveloped everyone.