Switzerland: Granit Xhaka and Breel Embolo Return to Nati Squad for Nations League

Es ist sein Recht, sich zu positionieren, said national coach Murat Yakin regarding a revealing interview given by striker Breel Embolo, Blick reported.

Switzerland men’s national football team manager Murat Yakin has named a 28-player squad for the final two UEFA Nations League fixtures of the year, bringing back prominent returnees Granit Xhaka and Breel Embolo after both missed the previous international window in September and October. The squad will face Slovenia on November 13 in Maribor before hosting Scotland on November 16 in St. Gallen, needing just a single point in Maribor to secure the group win and direct promotion back to League A, according to reports by the Schweizerischer Fussballverband.

The Context of the Returnees and Disciplinary Fallout

The selection of Xhaka and Embolo follows a period of disciplinary absence. Xhaka sat out previous fixtures voluntarily after a falsified vaccination certificate scandal, while Embolo was omitted by the Swiss Football Association (SFV) following a conviction for acquiring a forged test certificate in the autumn of 2025. Yakin acknowledged understanding the striker’s frustration but emphasized that the past must be accepted. Wir wissen, was wir an ihm haben, Yakin stated, adding that the forward must now show a reaction on the pitch.

Yakin Selects Expanded Roster for Injured Players

The expanded 28-player roster accommodates several athletes returning from injury, including Denis Zakaria, Rubén Vargas, and Miro Muheim, alongside Xhaka and Embolo. NZZ noted that Yakin selected 28 players instead of the usual 26 because forward Zeki Amdouni and left-back Ricardo Rodríguez are nursing injuries. Zeki Amdouni stand in den ersten vier Nations-League-Spielen in der Startelf und hatte in den vergangenen Wochen mit einer Sprunggelenksverletzung zu kämpfen, weshalb der Stammplatz im Sturm vorerst wieder Embolo gehören dürfte. Xhaka returns straight back into the starting lineup and retains the captaincy, which was never in doubt according to discussions with the player council and defender Manuel Akanji.

SRF highlighted two debutants included in the squad: FC Zürich starting goalkeeper Silas Huber, who served as the primary option for the U21 national team, and winger Samuel Ballet, who plays for Turkish side Amed SK and contributed four goals and one assist to the club’s campaign. Meanwhile, Swiss media reported an administrative setback on the youth front as 20-year-old Lutfi Dalipi turned down a call-up to the U21 selection after previously representing the country from the U18 level upward.

Fans will have an opportunity to watch the team during an open training session scheduled for November 9 between 17:00 and 18:00 at the Berit Sitterstadion in St. Gallen, presented by Zürich.

Fans Can Watch Fixtures Live on SRF

Yakin noted that he would have liked to name 36 or 40 players if possible, explaining that players like Uran Bislimi missed out due to a heavy oversupply in central midfield. No players were selected from the dominant Super League leader FC Lugano. Fans can watch both fixtures live on SRF, with coverage of the match against Slovenia on November 13 beginning at 20:10 on SRF zwei ahead of the 20:45 kickoff in Maribor, and the subsequent encounter against Scotland on November 16 also broadcast on SRF zwei starting at 20:10 prior to the 20:45 start in St. Gallen. Yakin pointed out that the expanded squad size also serves as preparation for the upcoming 2027 European Championship qualifiers and provides an opportunity to gather impressions across a wide pool of athletes.

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