Euro 2020: Swiss coach to wait until deadline to decide on final squad

Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic will wait until the last moment before finalising his European Championship squad and sees Sunday’s friendly against the United States as a chance for fringe players to make a last bid for selection.

Petkovic named 29 players for a preparatory camp in Bad Ragaz and has until Tuesday to cut the numbers down to 26 for the June 11 to July 11 tournament.

Petkovic said he was pleased with the way the new players had integrated into the squad.

“The first goal was to get the team mentally and physically on the same level. So that we can now go further technically and tactically,” he told reporters on Saturday ahead of the friendly against the U.S. in St Gallen.

Petkovic said the Americans would provide a perfect build-up to the Euros because they had similar playing characteristics to Switzerland’s Group A opponents — Italy, Turkey and Wales.

Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic confident of fully fit squad for Euro 2020#Euro2020 https://t.co/qRgS79ypkL

— HT Sports (@HTSportsNews) May 21, 2021

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“We want to play a good game. We want to keep a high level over 90 minutes, even if we won’t be 100% ready in every area. And, of course, it is important that we stay injury free,” he said.

“I don’t want to try too much. We have to look towards the first European Championship game, but we can benefit a lot from the test against the USA.”

The Swiss will have a second friendly against Liechtenstein in St Gallen next Thursday before opening their Euro 2020 campaign in Baku against Wales on June 12.