Switzerland midfielder Remo Freuler has insisted his team-mates are not afraid of Italy ahead of their Euro 2024 last-16 meeting in Berlin.
Murat Yakin's side, who finished second in Group A behind hosts Germany, face the Azzurri on Saturday with the hopes of ending their 11-game winless run against their opponents.
Freuler, who was on loan at Bologna from Nottingham Forest last season and was previously with Atalanta, says this will be no ordinary game for him.
"Of course, it's not a match like any other for me. In Italy I built my career, also finding an ideal country to spend my life with my family," he said.
"On Saturday, however, there won't be all this love. It's a round of 16 and there will be no room for feelings."
Freuler knows the next part of the tournament is where the Swiss will really be judged but insists they have nothing to fear from the reigning champions.
"Doing well in the first part of the tournament is important. The matches that make the difference, those capable of changing the dimension of a national team, however, are others," Freuler said.
"But I'm not afraid. Switzerland are not afraid of Italy."
Italy, meanwhile, continue their quest to become the second side to win back-to-back European Championships, having notched four points from their three group games.
The Azzurri were on the cusp of being eliminated from the tournament until Mattia Zaccagni's late strike secured a 1-1 draw with Croatia on matchday three.
Head coach Luciano Spalletti is looking for a much-improved display from his side, who he described as soft following the conclusion of their Group B fixtures.
"We deserved to go through in terms of what we produced out there. We were a bit soft at times during the game, we did not necessarily play our best football," he said.
"We were timid and need to do more. We have players who have the quality to play these games on an equal footing, but sometimes we make trivial mistakes.
"Whenever there is a challenge or a 50-50, we don’t win any. It is not a technical question, it comes down to experience, getting into these physical challenges and being willing to do the dirty work. We need to improve on that score."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Switzerland - Remo Freuler
Remo Freuler has assisted three goals in his last four European Championship appearances for Switzerland, with his latest coming in their 1-1 draw with Germany.
The only Swiss player with more assists at the European Championships is Steven Zuber (four), and the midfielder will be keen to add to his tally in Berlin.
Italy - Gianluigi Donnarumma
Having scored just three goals in their three group games, Italy captain Donnarumma was often the busier goalkeeper in the Azzurri's Group B fixtures.
The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper made 11 saves for Italy in the group stages, the most by an Italian goalkeeper in that part of a major tournament since Gianluigi Buffon at Euro 2012 (also 11).
MATCH PREDICTION: ITALY WIN
This will be Switzerland and Italy’s fifth meeting at a major international tournament, with the Swiss winning both games at the 1954 World Cup (2-1 in the groups and 4-1 in a group-stage play-off).
However, Italy have won the last two, both in the group stages and both times 3-0, in the 1962 World Cup and at Euro 2020, and are unbeaten in their last 11 matches against Switzerland in all competitions (six draws, five losses).
But the contest in Berlin has the potential to go beyond the 90 minutes. Fifteen of the Azzurri's last 26 knockout matches at major international tournaments have gone to extra-time, including four of their last five.
Switzerland may be outsiders, but they come into the encounter with confidence, having lost just one of their last 13 matches at the European Championships (four wins, eight draws) and they will be hopeful of improving their woeful record in the knockout stages of major tournaments.
Excluding shoot-outs, they have failed to win any of their seven last-16 matches at major international tournaments (three draws, four defeats), progressing to the quarter-finals on just one occasion at Euro 2020 by beating France on penalties.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Switzerland - 31.4%
Draw - 30.3%
Italy - 38.4%
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
