[monks data]

Friendlies 1

Jun 4, 2024 at 7.15pm UK

swissporarena

Switzerland
4 - 0
Estonia

Zuber (20'), Amdouni (47'), Elvedi (63'), Shaqiri (70' pen.)

FT(HT: 1-0)

Poom (67')

Preview: Switzerland vs. Estonia - prediction, team news, lineups

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 02 June 2024

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's friendly clash between Switzerland and Estonia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Switzerland will play the first of their two pre-Euro 2024 warm-up fixtures on Tuesday evening, with Estonia their opponents at the Swissporarena in Lucerne.

The home side are building towards their European Championship opener against Hungary on June 15, while Estonia are preparing to take part in the Baltic Cup, with their semi-final taking place on June 8.

Match preview

Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on March 26, 2024 © Reuters

Switzerland reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, which proved to be their best-ever performance at a European Championship, and the national team will again be bidding to make an impression at Euro 2024.

A-Team reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, and they will fancy their chances of claiming a top-two finish in their Euro 2024 group, which also involves Hungary, Scotland and Germany.

Murat Yakin's side will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory over Republic of Ireland in their last friendly at the end of March, and they have only lost one of their last 12 matches in all competitions.

Switzerland will tackle Austria in their final warm-up fixture on June 8 before taking on Hungary in their European Championship opener on June 15.

A-Team have won each of their four previous international fixtures against Estonia, including a 1-0 victory when the two teams last locked horns during qualification for Euro 2016.

Estonia players huddle before the match on March 21, 2024 © Reuters

Estonia have never qualified for the finals of a European Championship, and they have failed to win a single match in their last two qualification campaigns for the tournament.

Thomas Haberli's side are instead preparing to take part in the Baltic Cup, with the Faroe Islands their opponents in the semi-finals of the competition on June 8 ahead of a possible final against either Latvia or Lithuania on June 11.

Estonia, who have not been victorious since January 2023, will then be back in competitive action in September against Slovakia in the UEFA Nations League.

The Blueshirts will enter this match off the back of five straight defeats, with their last match on March 26 ending in a 2-1 loss to Finland.

Estonia conceded five in their last competitive match against Poland on March 21, meanwhile, and they have shipped 14 goals in their previous four international games with Switzerland.

Switzerland friendly form:

Switzerland form (all competitions):

Estonia friendly form:

Estonia form (all competitions):

Team News

Switzerland's Ruben Vargas celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on November 15, 2023 © Reuters

Switzerland are unlikely to be able to call upon Gregor Kobel, who was in goal for Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final on Saturday night, so Yann Sommer is likely to start between the sticks.

Fabian Schar and Manuel Akanji are notable inclusions at the back, while a talented midfield includes the likes of Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Breel Embolo has scored 13 times for Switzerland and is expected to feature in the final third of the field, while Burnley's Zeki Amdouni could also be handed an attacking role on Tuesday.

As for Estonia, Henri Anier has scored an impressive 22 goals for his national side, and the 33-year-old is expected to feature in the final third of the field.

There could be two players from the League of Ireland Premier Division in the starting side, with Shamrock Rovers' Markus Poom and Bohemians' Martin Miller pushing to be in the XI.

Roma's 20-year-old midfielder Martin Vetkal is also set to feature from the first whistle, while there could be a 158th cap for the experienced Konstain Vassiljev.

Switzerland possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Schar, Elvedi, Akanji; Ndoye, Freuler, Xhaka, Widmer; Shaqiri, Embolo, Amdouni

Estonia possible starting lineup:
Hein; Kuusk, Pikk, Mets, Peetson; Vassiljev, Vetkal, Poom, Miller; Anier, Tamm

SM words green background

We say: Switzerland 2-0 Estonia

Switzerland are heavy favourites to triumph on Tuesday evening, and we are expecting the home side to secure the victory, but Estonia are capable of making it a tricky affair, which is what Switzerland will want as part of their preparations for the European Championship.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.