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Today, at 21:45 Lithuanian time, the B group's 3rd round matches will begin. The European champions, the French, and the Swiss will meet at the Cidade de Coimbra stadium. The referee for this match will be Luboš Michel from Slovakia.
In this match, the Swiss coach will be forced to make at least two changes to the starting lineup. Television operators captured Alexander Frei spitting at the Englishman Steven Gerrard, so the UEFA disciplinary committee suspended Frei for fifteen days. Bernt Haas will also not be able to play since he received a red card in the match against the English. There is also good news in the Swiss camp - Johann Vogel will be able to play against the French, despite receiving a red card in the match against the Croatian national team and missing the 2nd round matches. If the Swiss do not advance to the next stage, these matches will be the last for the national team veteran Stéphane Chapuisat. The veteran, who has played 103 matches for the national team, has already announced that he will retire from the national team after the 2004 European Championship. Despite Switzerland having only one point, coach Köbi Kuhn has not lost hope: "We still have chances, and that is good," said the coach. "I can only hope that the football god will decide to temporarily wear red and white shirts." The Swiss hope for a different scenario in these matches than in the first ones - in both matches, they ended up with ten players.
Compared to the match against Croatia, the French national team will experience several changes. In the starting lineup, we will see the recovered Claude Makelele, Robert Pires, and Bixente Lizarazu. Olivier Dacourt and Sylvain Wiltord will lose their places in the main lineup. It is also unclear whether Silvestre or Desailly will play in defense. National team coach Jacques Santini mentioned that tactical changes may be made. "The opponents know how we play and prepare accordingly for the matches," said Santini. "Playing on equal terms is not our goal, but we must not underestimate the Swiss."
Possible lineups:
Switzerland (4-3-1-2): Stiel; Henchoz, Murat Yakin, Müller, Spycher; Cabanas, Vogel, Wicky; Hakan Yakin; Gygax, Chapuisat.
France (4-3-1-2): Barthez; Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Lizarazu; Pires, Vieira, Makelele; Zidane; Trezeguet, Henry.
