Albania v Switzerland preview: Granit and Taulant Xhaka meet in Euro 2016 clash
Saturday 11 June 2016 12:50, UK
Albania take on Switzerland in Saturday's Group A clash as brothers Granit and Taulant Xhaka prepare to face off in Lens.
New Arsenal signing Granit will represent Switzerland, while older brother Taulant could earn his 11th cap for Albania as they prepare to make their first appearance at a major football tournament.
Both players are of Albanian heritage and were brought up in the Swiss city of Basel, and Taulant - who is struggling with a thigh injury - is one of nine players in Albania's 23-man squad who could have opted to represent Switzerland.
Ahead of the match at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Granit admits he was unhappy to have been drawn alongside Albania, with France and Romania taking up the remaining spots in Group A.
"We both did not want to be at the same group," Granit said in a recent television interview. "For both, it will be a special match. I am proud of Switzerland, but of course I cannot forget my roots."
Elsewhere, former Sunderland midfielder Lorik Cana will captain Albania and the 32-year-old insists his side are not wary of their opponents - despite failing to beat Switzerland in their six previous encounters.
"We want to do more, grow better," Cana said. "Actually, we do have great opponents in our group, we try with our qualities to go further!"
Team news
Albania coach Gianni de Biasi will be monitoring the fitness of Taulant Xhaka before Saturday afternoon's kick-off, but the Italian has no other injury concerns with Sokol Cikalleshi likely to operate as a lone striker.
Switzerland and Watford midfielder Valon Behrami is a slight doubt for the match having failed to take a full part in training earlier in the week, while former Manchester City midfielder Gelson Fernandes is also struggling.
Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri - known as the 'Alpine Messi' - is likely to start, while former Arsenal defender Johan Djourou is expected to join Shaqiri in Vladimir Petkovic's XI.
Opta stats
Switzerland have never failed to score in their six games against Albania.
However, Switzerland have only won one of their nine games at the European Championships (2-0 v Portugal in June 2008). That win came after the Swiss side had already been knocked out of Euro 2008.
The Swiss have never won their opening game at the Euros (D2 L1).
Switzerland scored seven goals from corners in the qualifying campaign (29 per cent of their total goals), more than any other side.
Albania scored the fewest goals in the qualifying campaign among the 24 teams who made it to Euro 2016: 7 goals in 7 games effectively played (the game against Serbia was awarded as a 3-0 win to Albania).
No Albanian player scored more than one goal during the qualifying campaign.
Shaqiri has scored in each of his two games with Switzerland against Albania.
Paul Merson's prediction
As with the majority of the opening round of games, I expect this to be really tight, with Switzerland's greater quality coming good.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0 to Switzerland (Sky Bet odds 7/2)
Betting
Albania are 4/1 shots with Sky Bet to upset Switzerland (5/6) in their opening clash in Group A on Saturday afternoon. Albania, playing in their first Euro finals, are 13/8 to spring a major upset and qualify from the group with the Swiss 4/1 finish above France. Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri to score anytime for Switzerland is a 9/4 shot, while Soccer Saturday pundit Charlie Nicholas is tipping a 2-0 win for Switzerland at 11/2. Check out all the big match odds here.
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