(foto: fss.rs)
Serbian national team coach Dragan Stojković hopes that the arrival of the highly disliked Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka in Serbia will be conducted in the spirit of fair play.
In recent years, clashes between Serbia and Switzerland have evolved into a fierce rivalry, primarily due to Swiss players of Albanian descent, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri.
Several incidents and provocations from both sides over the years have escalated tensions, leading to heightened fan excitement surrounding Xhaka’s upcoming visit to Leskovac. However, this is not something that Serbia’s coach Dragan Stojković is pleased with.
At a pre-match press conference ahead of the Nations League clash against Switzerland, Stojković urged for the game to be played in the spirit of fair play.
"I assume people are aware of the past and the provocations. I appeal for the match to be played in the spirit of fair play. The behavior of the fans must be exemplary. We must put aside any external issues and focus on the game. I’m not worried. That would be completely absurd. Granit Xhaka is a great player who knows this. I respect him greatly. He has been proving his quality for years, and I don’t foresee any major issues regarding this," said Stojković, adding:
"Switzerland is a well-organized team. They understand modern football. They have many quality players. Xhaka is a great player, on whom a lot depends, and we must not forget Freuler either."