NEW DELHI: Ahead of their Euro 2024 opener against Hungary, Switzerland's captain Granit Xhaka has addressed the reports of tensions between himself and manager Murat Yakin during the team's underwhelming qualifying campaign for the tournament.
Xhaka stated that any issues have been resolved, and they now enjoy a positive working relationship. He further underlined that they have had open communication, shared meals, and aligned their ambitions for the team's success.
"We are adults enough to clarify everything. So I've had a great relationship with the coach in the last six, eight months. It has been better than the past," Xhaka said, as quoted by Reuters.
"He came to see me many times ... We had dinner together. We've drank a lot of wine together. So everything is going fine. We are both ambitious and we want to be successful for ourselves and for the team. We are glad to have a coach listening to us who wants to talk to us," he added.
Xhaka, known for his fiery temperament on the field, has matured since his move from Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen, where he played a pivotal role in their Bundesliga and German Cup title triumph this season. At 31 years old, he remains one of Switzerland's key players.
Switzerland's qualification for Euro 2024 was marred by late lapses in concentration, resulting in dropped points against opponents like Israel and Kosovo. Despite finishing second in their group, their form raised concerns about their ability to maintain their impressive record of reaching the knockout stages of major tournaments.
While Switzerland's qualifying campaign raised concerns, Xhaka's comments suggest that the team has addressed any internal issues and is united under Yakin's leadership. Their performance in the group stage will be crucial in determining whether they can continue their impressive run in major tournaments or face an early exit from Euro 2024.
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