Euro 2016 - Group A - Albania vs Switzerland aka Xhaka vs Xhaka, Sat. 2 pm, RTE & BBC

Mr.Nice Guy

Albania vs Switzerland


2:00pm Saturday 11th June
Stade Felix Bollaert-Delelis, Lens

Not a game that looks terribly exciting at first glance, but this game will have a very interesting subplot: two brothers could feature against one another for the first time at a European Championship.

It's not guaranteed: Taulant Xhaka's fitness will be monitored by Albania, but if he is passed fit then we should see a bit of history.


The background:

In the red and white corner, recent £30 million Arsenal signing Granit will represent Switzerland, to whom he committed in 2011; in the red and black corner, Taulant will line up for Euro 2016 underdogs Albania, having debuted in September 2014 in time for their remarkable run to the finals.

It is a match-up without precedent in a major international tournament; Kevin-Prince Boateng and Jerome Boateng lined up on opposite sides when Ghana and Germany met at the 2014 World Cup, but they are half-brothers. The Xhakas' situation feels more immediate, more rooted in modern European history and geopolitics.

Their parents, Ragip and Elmaze, were among the thousands who arrived in Switzerland from the ethnically Albanian Kosovo while it was still a part of the former Yugoslavia, primarily due a political situation that soon veered into a bloody war. Their sons were born after they had settled in Basel. Five other members of the Swiss squad -- Shaqiri and the Watford midfielder Valon Behrami among them -- join Granit in having Albanian heritage, and, remarkably, nine of the Albanian party were born or brought up in Switzerland. To some extent, Saturday's fixture in Lens will be contested between players who had someday hoped to be working alongside each other.

Not least Granit. He openly stated his wish to play for Albania before, frustrated by the the football federation's lack of proactivity in enlisting his services, making his decision to play for Switzerland instead. Taulant was less eagerly pursued by the Swiss setup, and that left the door open for him to represent Albania, finally making his first appearance in the 1-0 win in Portugal that set the tone for an eventful and sometimes stormy Group I campaign.

"Family is the most important thing to me," Granit said in an interview three and a half years ago. "Especially my brother Taulant -- we talk about everything together."

http://www.espnfc.com/european-championship/74/blog/post/2889739/taulant-and-granit-xhaka-two-brothers-face-off-in-switzerland-vs-albania

Quite interesting the crossover factor here with the players. Which brother will be celebrating at the final whistle?

Possible teams (credit The Guardian):

Albania

---

Berisha

---

--Hysaj

---

Cana

---

Mavraj

---

Agolli--

---

Xhaka

---

Abrashi

---

Memushaj

---

---

Gashi

---

Cikalleshi

---

Lenjani

---

Switzerland

---

Sommer

---

--Lichtsteiner

---

Schar

---

Djourou

---

Rodriguez--

---

Behrami

---

Xhaka

---

Dzemaili

---

---

Shaqiri

---

Seferovic

---

Mehmedi

---

What are your predictions for this one? I'm not expecting it to be as open as France vs Romania was. No player for Albania scored more than one goal during the qualifying campaign.

I'm going to go for a bit of an upset here and say Albania to nick it 1-0.

super_furry

I wish Liverpool would sign one of the Xhakas. How could you turn down a midfield partnership of Xhaka Can?

Mickeroo

super_furry wrote: »

I wish Liverpool would sign one of the Xhakas. How could you turn down a midfield partnership of Xhaka Can?

If Payet's goal was a post it would be this one.

Paully D

It'll be interesting to see Lorik Cana playing CB. He had an excellent season at Sunderland a few years ago playing DM but filled in a couple of times at CB too. He played there against Liverpool at the Stadium of Light in the 2nd half of the beachball game and was immense. One of the best performances I've seen from an individual player at the club. I have rarely watched him play since he left however.

Johner

Paully D wrote: »

It'll be interesting to see Lorik Cana playing CB. He had an excellent season at Sunderland a few years ago playing DM but filled in a couple of times at CB too. He played there against Liverpool at the Stadium of Light in the 2nd half of the beachball game and was immense. One of the best performances I've seen from an individual player at the club. I have rarely watched him play since he left however.

I remember him! Also remember being very impressed with him but haven't seen one bit of him either since he left Sunderland. i think Albania might surprise a few. I think they'll get a draw today.

RayCon

super_furry wrote: »

I wish Liverpool would sign one of the Xhakas. How could you turn down a midfield partnership of Xhaka Can?

"I Feel For You"

brianregan09

Switzerland should win this one , but there known to have an odd wobbly could be one here

That_Guy

Go Albania!!

duffman13

They've only ever one Euros game but this should be the 2nd one, fancy Shaqiri to score anytime as a bet. Albania should better than people expect though.

callaway92

Switzerland not a bad starting 11 in fairness to them.

dfx-

this is the type of game that tv companies from teams who have qualified talk about their own team. TV companies from non-qualified teams start broadcasting at 1.59pm..

caviardreams

dfx- wrote: »

this is the type of game that tv companies from teams who have qualified talk about their own team. TV companies from non-qualified teams start broadcasting at 1.59pm..

LOL, so true - still talking about Ireland on RTE 2

Mr.Nice Guy

Albania team:

Berisha; Hysaj, Mavraj, Cana, Agolli; Xhaka, Kukeli, Abrashi; Roshi, Lenjani; Sadiku.

Surprising choice up top. All the predictions seemed to suggest Cikalleshi would be the main striker (he's the more expensive option in the fantasy game as well).

callaway92

No Gashi is odd. I would've thought he'd be their best player.

Andre 3000

Switz 2-0 @ 7/1 and Shaqiri any time @13/5. 20 bean returns 116.

That_Guy

Hotties in the crowd!! YUSSS!!!

BoJack Horseman

The amount of Albanians!
Huge support.

Mr.Crinklewood

That's me missing the first five minutes

paulie21

10 of the Albanian team were born in Switzerland and most of them could leave for Kosovo if they get full status. Definition of complicated

The Talking Bread

Well that was nice....

Rossi IRL

That_Guy wrote: »

Hotties in the crowd!! YUSSS!!!

The question has to be asked.... Has the Euros babes thread been reopened yet?

Paully D

Cracking atmosphere. The place will go up if Albania take the lead.

monkey9

This is why i love the Euros. Why else would you watch Albania Vs Switzerland and be happy to do so.

Johner

Shocking goalkeeping.

That_Guy

Well that was pretty easy.

Mars Bar

Swiss take the lead already

At least the Romanian keeper was close to the ball last night

Mr.Nice Guy

Another goalkeeper howler.

jamesbere

Awful goalkeeping

paulie21

Terrible goalkeeping again

derm0j073

Goalkeeper gifted Switzerland that goal.

Paully D

How has that full back Rodriquez been playing over the last couple of years? I know there was a lot of talk about him a couple of years ago at the World Cup but I haven't heard much since then and have rarely watched him play either.

WoollyRedHat

Frere Xhaka, frere Xhaka, do do do.

The Talking Bread

Is there a way of muting the TV so as that you can hear the crowd but dont have to endure hear alkin and Kerr (although Kerr comes out with some crackers often!) .......

R00ster

Even without the terrible keeping, it was a free header

That_Guy

Euro 2016 is going to be the tournament of shíte goalkeeping. I look forward to Joe Hart's offering later.

BoJack Horseman

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Is there a way of muting the TV so as that you can hear the crowd but dont have to endure hear alkin and Kerr (although Kerr comes out with some crackers often!) .......

BBC & you can chose the audio.... Including no commentary, just game noise.

Paully D

That_Guy wrote: »

Euro 2016 is going to be the tournament of shíte goalkeeping.

You'd almost think we were watching the African Cup of Nations so far!

jamesbere

The man who does the ads for nivea

The Talking Bread

Ann Summers in goal for Swiss. Looks very metrosexual

Ol' Donie

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Is there a way of muting the TV so as that you can hear the crowd but dont have to endure hear alkin and Kerr (although Kerr comes out with some crackers often!) .......

Turn off Kerr?

Just ask one of the supervisors in the asylum you're clearly in.

Cantstandsya

Odise Roshi - They call him "the rocket"... Thanks Brian

That_Guy

I've never seen a ball hold up like that on the goal line before. :pac:

SantryRed

Albania look terrible.

caviardreams

jamesbere wrote: »

The man who does the ads for nivea

"slippy hand cream on his hands" - Kerr :pac::D

Ol' Donie

I love the games between teams I know relatively little about. My favourite thing about these tournaments.

Manufan123

caviardreams wrote: »

"slippy hand cream on his hands" - Kerr :pac::D

He can't pronounce any name's.

The Talking Bread

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

BBC & you can chose the audio.... Including no commentary, just game noise.

Ha! Really , I was just joking ! It is much better! Keeps your attention span on screen more. But I haven't a clue who most of players are by just looking at the screen view so commentary is needed at the moment.

Mars Bar

That was a perfectly good tackle. It's not wonder La Liga is full of whiners when the ref blows up for the smallest touch.

LordAwesome

I hope there are no Swiss listening to Kerr's massacre of their language, they might declare war on us.

monkey9

caviardreams wrote: »

"slippy hand cream on his hands" - Kerr :pac::D

Love listening to Brian Kerr co commentating.

That_Guy

Probably setting myself up for a bit of a fall but Albania look pretty terrible. They are getting murdered on the counter.