Bundesliga - Xhaka in group ahead of European Championship "Hope we leave tongue in cheek"
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka is happy to be Germany's group opponent at Euro 2024. "We're already looking forward to playing against Germany, against the hosts," said the Swiss, who plays with a number of DFB players at the Bundesliga leaders: "There have already been a few comments in the dressing room. This is a great group." The DFB team is "a dangerous team with a lot of quality. Hopefully it will be a good European Championship, first for us Swiss - and then maybe for Germany too."
After the draw, DFB sports director Rudi Völler praised Xhaka as a "chief, not for Switzerland, but also in Leverkusen" and as a "key figure" for Leverkusen's rise this season. "When Rudi Völler says something like that, it makes you proud," replied Xhaka. But the recognition for him is "definitely higher in Germany than in Switzerland anyway. I'm criticized a bit more there than here."
The fact that Switzerland will play their first two group games against Hungary and Scotland in Cologne brings back memories of the 2006 World Cup round of 16 against Ukraine in the same stadium. After a 0-0 draw following a weak 120 minutes, all three Swiss players failed to score in the penalty shoot-out. Xhaka remembers in particular that the first scorer, Marco Streller, nervously played with his tongue before taking his penalty: "That was the one with the tongue, right? I hope we get the points this time. And that we keep our tongues in our mouths."
He is already looking forward to the games in the Rhineland. "It's not such a long journey. But it's nice that we're playing against Germany in Frankfurt. It's closer to Switzerland. Hopefully a lot of Swiss people will come."
Bundesliga
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- Granit Xhaka, a midfielder for Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, is excited to face Germany in Group C of Euro 2024.
- The DFB team, led by Rudi Völler, is considered a dangerous opponent by Xhaka, who plays alongside several German national team players at Leverkusen.
- Xhaka's Swiss national team will play their first two group matches against Hungary and Scotland in Cologne, reminiscent of their 2006 World Cup round of 16 match against Ukraine in the same stadium.
- Bayer Leverkusen has had a successful season, thanks in part to Xhaka's key contributions, as recognized by DFB sports director Rudi Völler.
- Xhaka hopes that Switzerland can overcome their penalty shoot-out struggles from 2006 and secure points in their games at the European Championship in North Rhine-Westphalia.
- The Swiss midfielder is looking forward to playing in the Rhineland, especially since Germany's home match against Switzerland is in Frankfurt, which is closer to his home country.
- As the Bundesliga leaders, Leverkusen will continue to compete in the top tier of German soccer, with aspirations to perform well in European competitions, including EM2024.
Source: www.stern.de
