Granit Xhaka has withdrawn from Switzerland's next two Nations League matches after a calf injury picked up in the warmup for Sunderland's Premier League game against Chelsea. He damaged the muscle on Sunday, then played before coming off after two minutes. Switzerland now lose their captain for away trips to Slovenia on Friday and Scotland three days later.
Switzerland lose their captain for two matches
The federation said Xhaka has been ruled out of both games, and the timing is awkward for a side still top of its second-tier Nations League group. It is also a setback for a player who has 152 Switzerland appearances and has not added to that total since the World Cup.
Xhaka's latest club outing underlined how abruptly the issue bit. He was on the pitch for only four minutes in Sunderland's 1-0 win over Chelsea, and his league load before that had already reached 814 Premier League minutes this season.
More withdrawals in Murat Yakin's squad
Xhaka was not the only absentee. Ruben Vargas and Miro Muheim also dropped out because of injuries, leaving Murat Yakin with three changes from the same update.
That leaves Switzerland juggling more than a captain's absence. They still have the next two fixtures to manage, with Slovenia away on 13 November and Scotland at home on 16 November, and Xhaka's withdrawal removes one of the squad's most established figures before either match is played.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
