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Switzerland will be without leading scorer Johan Manzambi for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, coach Murat Yakin said on Friday, dealing a blow to the Swiss as they prepare to face the reigning champions in Kansas City.
Manzambi, who has three goals and two assists at the tournament, also missed Switzerland’s penalty shootout victory over Colombia in the last 16 after suffering a knee injury, and Yakin said the midfielder had failed to recover in time.
“We tried everything that we could to get him back; unfortunately, he’s unable to perform tomorrow,” Yakin said.
“Johan Manzambi is in a lot of pain. It was a shock to all of us. This momentum was on his side, and there is so much joy when he plays football.”
Captain Granit Xhaka dismissed suggestions Switzerland, who have made the quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years, were preoccupied with eight-times Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, insisting the focus was on upsetting Argentina.
Former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann had raised eyebrows this week when he claimed on German television that Swiss players appeared to have “too much respect” for Messi and only wanted to leave the game with the Argentine captain’s shirt.
“We cannot influence what people say about us,” Xhaka told reporters on Friday. “The only thing we can do is we can perform and show what we can do on the pitch. Nothing else matters.”
Yakin suggested the best way to limit Messi’s influence was to deny him possession altogether.
“When we have the ball, then he won’t be able to act as much,” he said. “We just try to play our game and not allow him to play the ball.
“There are many solutions, and we try to find the best solution. Tomorrow, on the pitch, we will perform as a unit. We will try to play good passes, press high against an Argentinian team, the reigning champions.”
