Switzerland-Portugal

UEFA EURO 2008 GROUP A
Date: Sun 15 June Kick-off: 1945 BST Venue: St Jakob-Park, Basel
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Gygax could start in Switzerland's final match of the Championship
Switzerland will be playing for pride against Portugal in their final Group A game after the hosts failed to qualify.

Home striker Eren Derdiyok picked up a slight ankle injury in the defeat by Turkey - their second in the tournament - so Daniel Gygax stands by to start.

With Portugal having secured top place in the group, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is expected to rotate the squad.

Seven changes are likely - two in the back four, four in midfield and Hugo Almeida partnering Nuno Gomes up front.

That could mean the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Bosingwa and Ricardo Carvalho being rested ahead of the quarter-final against the runners-up in Group B, a position likely to be held by Germany.

Scolari's men will still be favourites to win the match, though, and send Switzerland out of the competition with three defeats from three.

Switzerland's last victory against Portugal came 26 years ago in a friendly in Lugano, while their last competitive win against them was a 2-0 win in a World Cup qualifier in 1969.

And Swiss defender Patrick Mueller suggested that Portugal's squad rotation would not make their task any easier.

"The players on the bench want to show what they can do so they can get on the pitch," he said.

Portugal defender Fernando Meira insisted his side would be "playing to win", adding: "That's what Portugal tries to do in every game. I don't understand this idea that the players might enter more relaxed or with indifference."

Meira also played down suggestions that Scolari's announcement that he will be taking over as Chelsea manager once the tournament is finished has disrupted the Portugal squad.

"It's not going to be a problem for us because we still have him until the end of the European Championship," Meira said. "It's important the team thinks only about the football part. We have him until June 30."


BIG MATCH STATS
Head-to-heads

Switzerland and Portugal have met each other 19 times before, with Switzerland holding the upper hand with eight wins against six victories for Portugal. Five matches have finished in a draw.

In nine competitive matches (World Cup and European Championship qualifiers), Switzerland have won twice, Portugal have won three times and four matches have been drawn.

This will be their first encounter at a major tournament. Their last meeting came in a World Cup qualifier on 13 October 1993, when Portugal won 1-0 at home, courtesy of Joao Vieira Pinto's winning goal.

Head to head records and significant meetings

Team facts - Switzerland

Been eliminated from the knock-out stages at Euro 2008 and will finish fourth in Group A. In their previous two European Championship participations, Switzerland also finished fourth in their group.

Only the second host country after Belgium in 2000 which failed to progress from the group stages since the introduction of the knock-out stages in 1984.

Still awaiting their first victory at the European Championship after eight winless matches. This constitutes the longest running winless streak in the competition, which is also just one match short of the record set by the Soviet Union/CIS/Russia, between 1988 and 1996.

At 25 years and 44 days, Switzerland fielded the youngest starting line-up at Euro 2008 in the match against Turkey, and the youngest Swiss starting line-up ever in a European Championship match.

Team facts - Portugal

Qualified for the next round as winners of Group A. They are the only country amongst nations with at least four participations in the European Championship to have progressed from the group stages on all participations.

Nations with the highest success rate to progress from European Championship group stages

Now won a record seven successive group phase matches at European Championships and World Cups. The Portuguese extended their unbeaten sequence in competitive matches to 13, their second best streak ever. Their last competitive defeat came on 11 October 2006 in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Poland (2-1).

Player facts - Portugal

If he sees action, Nuno Gomes will equal Luis Figo (14) as Portugal's record appearance maker at European Championships.

If Gomes scores, he will become the third player to score in three different European Championships, joining Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) and Vladimir Smicer (Czech Republic). Thierry Henry (France) and Henrik Larsson (Sweden) can also achieve this feat at Euro 2008.

If selected, Paolo Ferreira will win his 50th international cap for Portugal.

Jose Bosingwa will be suspended if he receives another yellow card.

Miscellaneous Info

The last time Konrad Plautz was referee in a match of the Swiss National team was on 15 May 2002 when they lost 3-1 against Canada in a friendly international.

Plautz 'refereed' Portugal on 6 September 2006, when they drew 1-1 in Finland in a Euro 2008 qualifier