Switzerland will be without their leading scorer Johan Manzambi for Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against Argentina in Kansas City, with coach Murat Yakin confirming the midfielder has failed to recover from the knee injury that kept him out of the last-16 penalty shootout win over Colombia.
Manzambi, who has contributed three goals and two assists at the tournament, remains in significant pain. “We tried everything we could to get him back,” Yakin said. “This momentum was on his side, and there is so much joy when he plays football.”
Despite the setback, Switzerland are approaching the tie with conviction. Yakin outlined his plan to limit Lionel Messi’s influence by keeping the ball away from him altogether. “When we have the ball, he won’t be able to act as much,” he said. “We will press high against the reigning champions and try to play our game.”
Captain Granit Xhaka brushed aside claims made by former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who suggested on German television that Swiss players showed too much respect for Messi and were more interested in his shirt than the result. “The only thing we can do is perform and show what we can do on the pitch,” Xhaka said. “There are no excuses.”
The Sunderland midfielder, who featured in Switzerland’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the 2014 last 16, described Sunday’s clash as one of the defining moments of his international career. Switzerland last reached a World Cup quarter-final in 1954. “Keep dreaming,” Xhaka told Swiss fans. “Dreams can come true, but you need to work and sweat and push your limits if you want to beat Argentina.”
