Switzerland’s recent 3-0 defeat to Italy handed both Vladimir Petković his most significant defeat in the job and Switzerland their first 3 margin loss since June 2014 (5-2, France).
Switzerland
Switzerland’s winless start to Euro 2020 means that a defeat here would see them eliminated at the group stage for the fourth time in five European Championships appearances. However, history is against them if they’re to avoid this fate, given that they’ve won just two of the previous 11 H2Hs, and are winless in both previous visits to Baku. Furthermore, their recent 3-0 defeat to Italy handed both Vladimir Petković his most significant defeat in the job and Switzerland their first 3 margin loss since June 2014 (5-2, France). Therefore, to get back on track, ‘Rossocrociati’ need to rediscover their form before that Italy fixture where they went seven games unbeaten. Notably, they opened the scoring before the 25th minute in each of those victories.
Turkey
After consecutive defeats ‘to nil’, Turkey also face the prospect of elimination and need a win to land a third-place finish which could still lead to progression into the knockout phase. Their success en route to the finals was thanks to a defence that conceded a joint-best three goals across qualifying, yet they’ve already conceded two more than that in their opening two games, which sheds light on why they’re struggling.
Şenol Güneş’ side are at risk of losing a third straight game for the first time since November 2010 and will be desperate to score so they don’t repeat their goalless antics seen at Euro 1996. If they are to score, then doing so early could be critical as they’ve been leading at HT in six of their past nine victories.
Switzerland’s Breel Embolo has netted the opener in five of his last six goalscoring games for club and country. All-action Burak Yılmaz, Turkey’s oldest player at a major tournament, has five goals, four yellow cards and one red across his previous seven international appearances.
Since first qualifying in 1996, Turkey have the joint-highest number of Euro group stage defeats (nine).