Kobel and not Sommer plays in Andorra: has the battle for number 1 been launched?

class=”sc-29f61514-0 jbwksb”>

For nine years, since Diego Benaglio’s retirement from the national team and a 0-2 draw against England on September 8, 2014, Yann Sommer (34) has been number one in the Swiss box. Undisputed.

In Andorra La Vella, there is no summer in goal for the national team on Friday. But challenger Gregor Kobel (24). The BVB goalkeeper, just named the best goalkeeper of the Bundesliga by the trade magazine “Kicker”, reports claims. He recently told Blick that it was difficult for him to be number two in the national team. And: Kobel is the most valuable player of the team with an estimated market value of 35 million euros. Even before Manuel Akanji and Granit Xhaka. Unusual for a goalkeeper. And in the World Cup round of 16 against Portugal (1: 6), Sommer not only looked bad when he conceded the first goal. However: he played despite a cold and was not really fit.

Foletti confirms the hierarchy

And now this castling. What is there to interpret? Goalkeeping coach Patrick Foletti, a good friend of Sommer, makes it clear: “The fact that we have now decided to give number two more playing time does not change the hierarchy. Yann is number one, Gregi the two. And the guys know that.” Foletti tries to take the wind out of discussions from the start. He can’t quite do it. Because at Sommer there are question marks like never before in his career. At Bayern Munich he would probably be number two if everything would go according to plan with Manuel Neuer’s training Coach Thomas Tuchel has already enthusiastically celebrated the return of the former world goalkeeper, saying this is sensational news and that he should slow down to avoid euphoria.

Romania game par excellence for the summer

So summer has to go. But where to? A second uncertainty in the 34-year-old’s near career future. Foletti also says: “If one of our goalkeepers has no playing time, we will review the situation.”

Anyway: Monday will be extremely important when it comes to keepers. Then comes the game against Romania, on paper the most dangerous Swiss competitor. Anything but a top performance from Sommer would fuel this discussion.

Source : Blick