Switzerland Vs Spain

Spain will aim to rediscover their winning form on Sunday evening as they continue their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign with a matchup against Switzerland.

The reigning champions faced a setback in their campaign opener, held to a 0-0 draw by Serbia last Thursday. Meanwhile, Switzerland endured a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Denmark, who currently lead Group 4 of League A.

Match Preview

Switzerland's national team, managed by Murat Yakin, played their first match since their quarter-final penalty shootout loss to England at Euro 2024 on Thursday night. They faced Denmark in their Nations League opener, which seemed destined for a goalless draw until Denmark scored twice in the final 10 minutes to secure a 2-0 victory. This result propelled Denmark to the top of the group, leaving Switzerland, who had both Nico Elvedi and Granit Xhaka sent off, languishing at the bottom.

In the inaugural season of the Nations League in 2018-19, Switzerland finished fourth. In their subsequent campaigns, including the 2022-23 season, they ended up in third place. Notably, they faced Spain in the group stage of that season's competition. On Sunday, Switzerland will be looking to secure their first points in Group 4 of League A. They will also face Serbia away and Denmark at home in October.

Switzerland did manage a 2-1 victory over Spain in their last Nations League encounter in September 2022. However, their overall record against Spain is less favorable, with only two wins in their last 25 meetings dating back to June 1925.

Spain, under the guidance of manager Luis de la Fuente, is eager to bounce back from their goalless draw with Serbia. De la Fuente downplayed the result, describing the match as "almost a pre-season game" and expressing that he was "not worried" about the draw. Despite dominating the game, Spain was unable to score, leaving them in third place in their group with just one point.

Spain’s recent performances highlight their status as one of the top footballing nations. Since their World Cup victory in 2010, they have struggled to advance past the last-16 stage of the tournament. However, they experienced a successful summer, winning the European Championship by defeating England and clinching the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

Spain also holds the title of Nations League champions, having defeated Croatia in the final in June 2023, marking another golden chapter in their football history. They remain unbeaten since a friendly loss to Colombia in March and have not lost a competitive match since March 2023.

Despite the challenges of interpreting international fixtures early in the season, particularly after a major tournament, Spain is determined to get back to winning ways on Sunday. Their next competitive fixture will be against Denmark at home on October 12.