Wales begin their EURO 2020 campaign this Saturday in Baku, where they will face a strong Switzerland side.
The two nations haven’t locked horns since October 2011, in an EURO 2012 qualifying fixture that Wales ran out 2-0 victors courtesy of strikes from current Internationals Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale.
Neither side qualified for the subsequent tournament, however, it’s fair to say they are both considerably stronger than when they last met nearly a decade ago.
With Wales and Switzerland both boasting quality all over the pitch, here are three crucial battles you won’t want to miss:
Joe Rodon V Haris Seferovic
Wales’ centre-back options are speculative as of late due to the frequent experimentation that Robert Page has conducted in his backline.
He’s recently gone with a back five, and whilst the likes of Ben Cabango, Chris Mepham, Tom Lockyer and even the versatile Ben Davies will all be angling for a starting berth, one player who seems nailed on to be the heartbeat of the Red Dragons defence is Joe Rodon- and rightly so.
At 23, Rodon has already embraced heaps of experience within the game, ranging from spells in League Two with Cheltenham Town to the dizzy heights of Premier League football with Tottenham Hotspur. And it is at North London where he’s quickly making a name for himself, impressing in his debut campaign and cementing his worth at International level.
During his fourteen caps for Wales, Rodon has faced off against a number of supremely talented footballers, ranging from Jack Grealish to Belgian duo Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. He will face a stern test on Saturday as he is likely to be handed the unenviable task of handling Benfica hitman Haris Seferovic.
Seferovic, a towering and physical centre forward with the ability to bring others into the game, has been in inspired form for the Portuguese giants, scoring 22 league goals and providing a further seven assists.
The striker has been a staple for his nation, too, earning 74 caps and finding the back of the net 21 times since debuting in December 2012.
If Seferovic is going to be kept quiet, Rodon will surely play a huge part in such efforts.
Ethan Ampadu V Granit Xhaka
As a whole, the midfield clash between Wales and Switzerland promises to be an enthralling one. One particular battle in the middle of the park that is worth looking out for, though, is the one between Wales’ Ethan Ampadu and Switzerland skipper Granit Xhaka- both of whom utilise tendencies to dictate the game’s tempo from deep.
He may only be 20- and eight years Xhaka’s senior- but Ampadu displays a natural composure in possession extending well beyond his youthful years and a mature head, which enables him to keep play ticking and run the midfield.
The utility man has endeared himself to Welsh supporters so far and, whilst on loan with Sheffield United last season, proved that he can compete with some of the very best footballers on planet earth.
Meanwhile, not many players competing in EURO 2020 have more experience than Xhaka, who has played over 550 games of professional football to date.
Currently of Arsenal, the 28-year old has amassed 94 caps for Switzerland and has represented them at two major tournaments.
Joe Allen V Xherdan Shaqiri
Once upon a time at Stoke City, they were both teammates- but now, they will be facing off in a huge encounter for their respective nations.
Allen and Shaqiri spent two years together at the Bet 365 Stadium before the latter moved north to Liverpool, where he has won the Champions League and s Premier League title.
Allen, on the other hand, still plies his trade in Staffordshire and made 18 appearances in the Championship last season, although his involvement was significantly restricted due to a succession of injury knockbacks.
Thankfully for Wales, his spells on the treatment table seem behind him. Quite simply, his presence is crucial. He offers something else to the midfield- a tenacity, an infectious sense of energy, and covers every blade of grass. Wales don’t have another midfielder of his type.
Those qualities will be hugely important on Saturday when coming up against Shaqiri, an individual with mercurial talent and someone Allen knows all about.
Whilst the ex-Bayern and Inter Milan flyer typically plays his club football out wide, Vladimir Petkovic has opted to deploy him in the number 10 role for Switzerland.
Doing so allows him to drift into pockets of space and get on the ball as much as possible, but at his devastating best, Shaqiri is a player who can’t be afforded any time in possession.
He usually tends to exhibit the optimum of his talents at International tournaments, too- he famously scored a hatrick in a 3-0 World Cup win over Honduras in 2014 and earned global recognition for his sensational bicycle kick against Poland in EURO 2016.
Who better than Allen to nullify the 29-year old playmaker?
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)
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