Catch-up match possible in November: What happens after the canceled Nati match against Israel?

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The Israeli army has been fighting back with ferocity since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, armed Hezbollah forces from Lebanon have crossed the border into the north of the country. Israel responded by deploying attack helicopters.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by these terrible events and this escalation of violence in Israel,” SFV Secretary General Robert Breiter said about Thursday’s canceled European Championship qualifier in Tel Aviv. “We fully understand that the match has been cancelled. Football is not being considered at the moment.”

“We will not compete, even under duress”

Due to the current situation and logistics, the Swiss Football Association together with the players’ council – led by Granit Xhaka – have decided to postpone the Nati meeting in Zurich until Wednesday. After the players arrive at Zurich airport in the morning, a public training session will take place at the GC campus in Niederhasli at 4:30 p.m.

That same evening, Murat Yakin’s team travels to St. Gallen, where the next European Championship qualifier against Belarus will take place in the Kybun Park on Sunday. At the same time, the match between Kosovo and Israel would be on the program. However, the Israeli association has said that the players, regardless of UEFA, are currently unavailable. “And we will not compete under duress,” said Shino Zoertz, president of the Israel Football Association.

Israel – Switzerland only mid-November?

In addition to the emotional impact, this ruling is also due to the circumstances that currently no Israeli citizens are allowed to leave the country. In addition, all cultural and sporting events have been cancelled. The Israeli football league has temporarily suspended activities until the end of October.

According to the agenda, the last European Championship qualifiers are scheduled for mid-November. Israel was scheduled to host Romania at home on November 18 and away to Andorra on November 21. On these dates, Switzerland will first play against Kosovo in Basel and then against Romania in Bucharest. Theoretically, it would be possible for Switzerland and Israel to move the postponed match instead of a training week in advance – on November 15. “UEFA has given us the prospect of providing clarity as quickly as possible. At this point everything reads like coffee grounds. We don’t have a crystal ball from which to look into the future,” says Breiter.

Extra stress for the national team

However, the general secretary of the SFV thinks that it is possible to be responsible for an extra match with the “goodwill” of the team. “Flexibility and understanding are required on our part. And of course we have that,” says Breiter. This means that despite the increased stress factor, Murat Yakin’s team was able to play all matches regularly and qualify directly for Euro 2024 on their own merit as first or second in the group.

However, the problem with the excellent match between Kosovo and Israel is still not solved. Due to pressure reasons, there is no room for four matches in a row in the ten-day period in November. Therefore, a new date should be set in winter or spring. However, the draw for the semi-finals of the play-offs (from March 21, 2024) will take place on November 23, with three third-placed teams also able to qualify for the final in Germany in this way.

The exclusion of Israel as the harshest but fairest solution

However, UEFA would have to create a placeholder in the play-off tree and make up the match. This is very difficult to imagine due to the busy agenda in European football. The first opportunity would arise in the first week of January, when even the Premier League in England takes a break for almost two weeks. However, the players’ clubs from Israel and Kosovo would have to give their consent. The second scenario takes place in mid-March, shortly before the play-offs. However, UEFA would have to reorganize the semi-finals and final within this ten-day period.

Before considering this move, UEFA could speculate that Israel will have enough points for direct qualification or the play-offs even without the match against Kosovo. However, due to the outbreak of war, it is also possible that Israel will no longer be able to play group matches. This would mean that all previous and upcoming Group I matches would not be counted. Ultimately, the decision-making power over the sports competition lies with UEFA.

Source : Blick