Murat Yakin has confirmed that Switzerland will be without breakout star Johan Manzambi for their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina due to injury.
Manzambi, who has impressed for Switzerland throughout the tournament so far, missed their last-16 win over Colombia due to a problem with his knee.
The Freiburg attacker’s performances have seen him linked with a move to the Premier League this summer, with Newcastle United reportedly interested.
At 20 years and 261 days old, Manzambi became the youngest player to reach five goal involvements (three goals, two assists) at a World Cup on record (since 1966) following his assist against Algeria in the last 32.
Manzambi’s three goals have come from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.77, while he has found the back of the net every 67 minutes, on average, at this tournament.
“Unfortunately, Johan Manzambi’s injury hurts us enormously,” Yakin said. “It was a real shock. He had momentum on his side.
“You could see the joy with which he was playing and also how his team-mates responded.
“You could see how well everything had been functioning during this tournament. Unfortunately, he can’t play.”
And Manzambi’s absence makes Switzerland’s task against Argentina all the more difficult.
The holders are unbeaten in their last 11 World Cup matches (W9 D2), their longest run without defeat in the competition’s history, though they were given a scare by Egypt last time out, recovering from 2-0 down to win 3-2.
Switzerland have never beaten Argentina in seven attempts in all competitions (D2 L5). They have only faced Russia more often without ever winning in their history (12, including games vs the USSR).
Argentina have also won both of their World Cup games against Switzerland, 2-0 in 1966 and 1-0 in 2014, in what was the last meeting between the sides in any competition.
That defeat 12 years ago was settled by a 118th-minute winner from Angel Di Maria, with Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez the only two players in Switzerland’s current squad that featured in that defeat in Sao Paulo.
“After 12 years, we’re standing here again – with Ricky, with myself,” Xhaka said.
“We know that this is a new, completely different Switzerland, with a different mentality, with a different generation. Football in Switzerland has improved.”
