Nati is greeted by the police in Belgrade

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The arrival of the Nati in Belgrade on Friday evening for the European Championship qualifier against Belarus is smooth and efficient.

At the VIP exit, a small special police unit, supported by Swiss guards, protects the SFV delegation. Murat Yakin (48) smiled relaxed at the camera after landing at 6:13 pm and revealed that the flight was “top notch”.

At the center of the action is Granit Xhaka (30), who previously caused a stir on social media. He spread a message from his wife Leonita, who released an excerpt from the current national documentary “The Pressure Game”.

Xhaka’s two-headed eagle

Actually harmless. However, the famous two-headed eagle scene in the 2-1 win against Serbia at the 2018 World Cup can be seen on the message. This mention on Instagram has of course not gone unnoticed by the SFV.

It’s just one of the reasons why the national team captain is nervously shielded at Belgrade airport on his way to the team bus. Another factor is the memory of Qatar 2022, when Xhaka was also at the center of minor skirmishes against Serbia.

The SFV has therefore long been aware that Xhaka, as an incentive figure for the Serbs, needs special protection. However, at the airport in Belgrade, all fears quickly disappear. Except for a few reporters from Switzerland, nobody is interested in the national team that night.

Barking dogs in front of the hotel

At the moment, potential aggressors are on their way to the Marakana stadium, where the European Championship qualifier between Serbia and Lithuania will take place. The Nati, in turn, must play in Novi Sad on Saturday before the start of the 2024 European Championship campaign – about an hour’s drive north of Belgrade.

And this trip also went without incident for Murat Yakin’s team. The national coach is only followed by the police on his way to the hotel. The association has opted for accommodation half an hour outside the city. Apart from a few barking dogs, no one makes a sound in the vicinity of the luxury hotel.

Source : Blick