Murat Yakin is confident ahead of Switzerland‘s encounter with Italy on Friday evening in Rome, saying that his team are comfortable of springing a surprise and he drew inspiration from the heroics of Sweden four years earlier.
The Swedes eliminated Italy in the World Cup play-offs in November 2017, making the Azzurri miss the tournament for the first time since 1958, and the Swiss coach is using that as motivation for his own team.
“We want to qualify for Qatar without going through the play-offs,” Yakin said in his press conference. “We are here because we have come to Rome to win.
“Why should it not be possible? Sure, Italy are the favourites. But Sweden were also the outsiders in the play-offs for the 2018 World Cup and they eliminated the Azzurri.”
Italy and Switzerland both have 14 points after six matches in Group C of their World Cup qualifying group for the 2022 tournament but the Italians are above the Swiss on goal difference.
