29.10.2014, 11:04
Injury worries force Switzerland to change defence tactics

PREVIEW: Faced with a quartet of injured players, Switzerland head coach Rolf Brack had to rethink his approach to the EHF EURO 2016 qualifiers against FYR Macedonia and France

Injury worries force Switzerland to change defence tactics

It is by far not an easy mission that Switzerland face this week in the EHF EURO 2016 Qualification - and a number of injured players seem to make things even more difficult for head coach Rolf Brack.

Switzerland on Tuesday arrived in the Macedonian capital of Skopje where they will face FYR Macedonia today (29 October) at 17:45 hrs (live on ehfTV)

While it was known that neither left wing Manuel Liniger nor left back Michal Svajlen would be able to embark on the trip on the trip, Brack was forced to replace another two players as line player Fabio Baviera and left wing Luca Linder are also sidelined with injuries.

This series of injuries has made Brack rethink his tactics.

"Without Svajlen and Baviera we are missing to central defenders, which is why we will probably opt for a 5-1 defence. This is a possibility for us to cope with the situation," says Brack.

The head coach has told his team to focus entirely on the match and Skopje and not think about the home game against EHF EURO champions France on Sunday (2 November) which is likely to be played in front of a sold-out St. Jakobshalle in Basel.

More than 5,300 tickets have already been sold for the match.

"FYR Macedonia are physically strong. We have to make use of our own speed to keep the game open. Furthermore we have to play smart and stay calm, even though we are expecting a vociferous atmosphere in Skopje."

Switzerland's roster for the EHF EURO 2016 qualifiers against FYR Macedonia and France

Tobias Baumgartner (HC Kriens-Luzern, 9 internationals/11 goals), Aurel Bringolf (Pfadi Winterthur, 36/1), Roman Caspar (Wacker Thun, 8/2), Jonas Dähler (Wacker Thun, 27/51), Daniel Fellmann (HC Kriens-Luzern, 104/179), Stefan Freivogel (Pfadi Winterthur, 22/5), David Graubner (Kadetten Schaffhausen, 116/323), Marcel Hess (Pfadi Winterthur, 110/152), Marvin Lier (Pfadi Winterthur, 11/23), Luca Mühlemann (BSV Bern Muri, 5/10)
Andreas Portmann (HC Kriens-Luzern, 8/0), Nikola Portner (Kadetten Schaffhausen, 34/1), Nicolas Raemy (Wacker Thun, 24/87), Andy Schmid (Rhein-Neckar Löwen/D, 142/627), Roman Sidorowicz (GC Amicitia Zürich, 8/19), Valentin Striffeler (BSV Bern Muri, 2/3), Lukas von Deschwanden (Wacker Thun, 18/54)

TEXT: EHF / SHV / ts