Vargas’ Switzerland to take on Italy in the round of 16
Sunday night clash in Berlin
First Team
29.06.2024, 13:30
Ruben Vargas and the Swiss national team have reached the knockouts of EURO 2024 after placing second in group A behind host nation Germany. The side are set to take on EURO 2020 winners Italy in their upcoming last 16 clash on Saturday evening.
Switzerland finished second in group A of this year’s European Championships, just two points behind Germany, after winning one game and sharing the spoils twice. Murat Yakin’s side inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Hungary in their first outing of the tournament, before finishing level in 1-1 draws with both Scotland and Germany.
Vargas, who started Hungary’s first two games, had to settle for a place on the bench against Germany. He eventually came on as a substitute with 25 minutes left to play, and had what looked to be the winner cruelly ruled out for offside.
Switzerland out for revenge
Vargas and Co. will kick off the round of 16 in their clash against Italy at the Berlin Olympiastadion. The Italians will need to improve if they are to recapture the form that took them to the title in the last tournament, having only narrowly qualified from Group B. Defeat for the Azzurri against Croatia would have sent them crashing out of the tournament at the first hurdle, as their negative goal difference would only have been enough for fifth-best of the third-placed teams. Mattia Zaccagni’s stoppage-time equaliser, though, secured second place in the group, and denied FCA new boy Nediljko Labrović the chance to play against new teammate Vargas in the last 16.
Murat Yakin’s men have a score to settle against Italy – the two sides met in the groups during Italy’s victorious EURO 2020 campaign, when Switzerland were defeated 3-0. Vargas was also on the pitch that day, and will be hoping for a better outcome this time around.
