The big check on the EM candidates: Xhaka marches on, Zakaria in criticism

Christian FinkbeinerFootball boss

Yann Sommer (Inter): After ten consecutive league victories, Inter had to settle for a 1-1 draw in the game with Napoli – shortly before the end, Sommer conceded their 14th goal of the season (in the 28th game). Coach Simone Inzaghi is annoyed by the late equalizer and the nonchalance of the defense because Nati’s regular goalkeeper was “virtually unoccupied” for the entire match, as he says in the “Gazzetta dello Sport”.

Gregor Kobel (Dortmund): Must pass at short notice in the 3-1 win against Frankfurt. For the sixth time in the last ten competitive matches. The BVB goalkeeper travels to Nati’s training camp in Spain, but is examined by the medical department there. Then it becomes clear whether he will stay in the camp. A bet in the test matches against Denmark (Saturday) and Ireland (March 26) is excluded.

Yvon Mvogo (Lorient): Is the clear number one at Lorient, who does not get further than a 2-2 draw at AS Monaco.

David von Ballmoos (YB): The Bernese number one has to fall behind twice against Lausanne (0:2). A necessary day for all YB men on the field, including Von Ballmoos, who wears the captain’s armband. However, because Kobel is injured, he moves on to the national team.

Philipp Köhn (Monaco): Has only been on the bench since the end of February – even against Lorient. He is missing from Nati’s latest selection, coach Murat Yakin has put his name on the reserve list.

Jonas Omlin (Gladbach): After his shoulder operation, he is still not completely fit to return to the team. His last competitive match was at the end of August, so he only has an external chance of a European Championship place.

Anthony Racioppi (YB): Since losing the goalkeeper duel with von Ballmoos, his chances at the European Championship have dropped to zero, but he is still on Yakin’s roster.

Fabian Schär (Newcastle): Played in the back five of the 2–0 defeat to Man City in the FA Cup quarter-finals and was shown a yellow card. Newcastle’s defense was unlucky as Bernardo Silva conceded two goals, both of which were averted.

Manuel Akanji (Man City): As a centre-back, he helped the “Citizens” through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Newcastle.

Ricardo Rodriguez (Turin): After four games without a win in Serie A, Torino can breathe a sigh of relief thanks to a 2-0 win over Udinese – and thus over Rodriguez, who plays as “Capitano” on the left.

Cédric Zesiger (Wolfsburg): Played in central defense in the 1:3 against Augsburg. After the dismissal of Niko Kovac, he now has to recommend himself to a new coach: Ralph Hasenhüttl takes over.

Nico Elvedi (Gladbach): Played in central defense in the 1-1 draw at Heidenheim. He is fortunate that a penalty he was responsible for was taken back for offside.

Kevin Mbabu (Augsburg): Before his return to the national team, he also played on the right side of the back four in the 3-1 win in Wolfsburg.

Silvan Widmer (Mainz): Will be rotated out of the team after the blow against Bayern. The captain comes into action after an hour in the important 2-0 win against Bochum. Receives only mediocre marks in the German media.

Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz): Followed the victory over Bochum (2-0) from the bench – and cannot gather any further arguments for a European Championship ticket. The defender is having a hard time under Bo Henriksen.

Leonidas Stergiou (Stuttgart): Still haven’t gotten beyond the joker role at VfB. Shortly before the end of the 3-0 win in Hoffenheim, he was substituted for the ailing captain Anton. After all, it is his first short appearance after being benched three times recently.

Eray Comert (Nantes): First he scored the 1:1 in the match against Strasbourg, his second goal of the season, after which his team lost 3-1 in the second half. Also because Cömert was not the best defensive figure that day. He was partly responsible for the first and third goals conceded.

Becir Omeragic (Montpellier): Experience a game day you will soon forget. In the 2:6 against PSG, he was dazed twice by superstar Kylian Mbappé – the first time the bell rang. Be overwhelmed by the pace of the Parisians.

Silvan Hefti (Montpellier): Not in the selection for the blow against PSG. Recently he only played the role of Joker.

Ulisses Garcia (Marseille): His team loses 2-0 to Rennes – and Garcia has to watch as a reserve. For the second time since he joined OM during the winter break.

Jordan Lotomba (Nice): Helped throughout the match in the 3-1 win over Lens – it was the first league win since January. Despite the crisis of recent weeks, Lotomba is on the right side of the defense.

Aurèle Amanda (YB): The 0-2 debacle against Lausanne was passed on. The defender, who moves to Frankfurt this summer, is having a bad day like the entire YB team.

Luca Jaquez (Lucerne): Missed the 2-2 draw against Servette due to illness. Now in the selection of the U21 national team, which will play against Albania in Tirana on March 26.

Steve Rouiller (napkin): The defense boss and Geneva captain can dream of the title – his Servette is level with YB at the top of the Super League. Rouiller continues to play against Lucerne. His name is on the national reserve list.

Granit Xhaka (Leverkusen): As usual, the pacesetter for another Leverkusen victory was: 3-2 in Freiburg. The national team captain then went straight to Basel.

Ruben Vargas (Augsburg): Shortly before the half-time whistle, he prepared the equalizer in the 3-1 win in Wolfsburg. Changed fifteen minutes before the end. He now has three assists and two goals in this Bundesliga season.

Zeki Amdouni (Burnley): Came on as a substitute in the 69th minute of the 2–1 win against Brentford, Burnley’s first win of the year. Warned shortly afterwards. So far it’s just a March joke.

Noah Okafor (Milan): Involved and vibrant in the 3-1 away win in Verona. Finished work after 74 minutes, but is in the starting eleven for the Rossoneri in the league for the second time in a row.

Michel Aebischer (Bologna): Fighting for a permanent place. The ex-YB midfielder was only allowed to play eleven minutes against Empoli (1-0). It is the fourth short appearance in a month – with only one nomination for the starting eleven in five games.

Remo Freuler (Bologna): Set in Bologna, unlike Aebischer. Played on against Empoli and picked up his eighth yellow card of the season deep in injury time (97th).

Dan Ndoye (Bologna): Had to play as a right winger from the start, but was the first of his team to be eliminated in the 57th minute. He is still waiting for his first league goal.

Djibril Sov (Seville): Another setback for the man from Zurich. After Nati coach Murat Yakin passed him over for the team, he was on the bench for 90 minutes in the 1-2 defeat against Celta Vigo.

Vincent Sierro (Toulouse): He had a worse day in the 2-3 win against Lyon, but at least converted his penalty into his fourth goal of the season. The Toulouse captain loses an unusually many balls.

Denis Zakaria (Monaco): Is in midfield for Monaco, but now has to look at the next match. Zakaria sees yellow-red within 19 minutes of the 2-2 draw against Lorient. Shortly before the end he is thrown off the field. “L’Équipe” singles him out as one of the flops of the match – and especially criticizes the unnecessary second warning for a stupid foul.

Fabian Rieder (Rennes): He is still being rehabilitated after breaking his metatarsal and is not in the selection for the 2-0 win against Marseille. Will probably make a comeback after Nati’s break, but only has a slim chance at the European Championships.

Breel Embolo (Monaco): He recently returned to team training after tearing his ACL in the summer. For the European Championships? It will be a race against time.

Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire): The Chicago captain finally secured his first win of the season on matchday four of Major League Soccer (MLS) – as teammate Kellyn Acosta scored a sensational goal. Shaq has scored once so far this year.

Christian Fassnacht (Norwich): 35 appearances on 38 matchdays in the championship. Fassnacht only came into play in the final phase of the 3-0 win over Stoke City, but is an important part of the “Canaries”. This time it was only enough for the national team for the reserve list.

Andi Zeqiri (Genk): Zeqiri is also only on call for the national team meeting. And in the competition he cannot actually put forward any arguments for himself in the 1-1 draw against Westerlo – the striker only plays fifteen minutes.

Steven Zuber (AEK Athens): Has already collected ten points this season, but only made one substitute in the 3-3 draw against Aris Saloniki. Enters in the final phase and is warned. Missing from Yakin’s team. Just like the next player.

Haris Seferovic (Al Wasl): His side are still unbeaten in the UAE Pro League, most recently with a 2-0 win over Baniyas. Again with a goal from the “man from Sursee”, who now has seven goals. He has been on the outside of the national team since moving to Dubai last summer, but the doors are not completely closed.

Ardon Jashari (Lucerne): Awarded a penalty in the 2-2 draw against Servette for clumsiness. Otherwise hardworking and combative. In the U21 selection.

Uran Bislimi (Lugano): Is in good form at Lugano. Two assists and one goal in the last two games. In the 2-0 win against Yverdon, he provided the assist for Ticino’s first goal. The reward is a new national team selection.

Dereck Kutesa (napkin): The midfielder was on the field for 86 minutes against Lucerne, after which he was allowed to go down. Thanks to his consistency in recent weeks, he was recommended for his first A-Nati invite.

Alexis Antunes (napkin): Played the full distance in the 2-2 draw in Lucerne. It is an inconspicuous appearance of the Geneva resident. Has been in the starting line-up for Servette in every Super League match so far this year and has scored three goals.

Carlo Itten (YB): Dives with YB in Lausanne. After a very good performance in the massive win against Basel, Itten was invisible for the entire match in the 0-2 defeat and received poor marks. After 77 minutes, coach Magnin takes him off the field. With such performances, the player from Basel is not recommended for a place in the national team.

Darian men (YB): Substituted after an hour into the Young Boys’ disastrous performance in Lausanne. Neither rises nor falls in the weak YB collective.

Renato Steffen (Lugano): Following his hip injury, he played the full 90 minutes for the first time in Luganesi’s confident 2–0 win against Yverdon, having been substituted for the final 20 minutes in each of the previous two games. Shows a strong performance and prepares the 2-0 win that is worth watching.