Switzerland vs Turkey: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction
Switzerland and Turkey have both underwhelmed in their opening two group games, taking only a single point between them. It makes this fixture against each other a last chance saloon to make it into the knockout rounds, with a win potentially getting either through to the last 16.
Once you’re in the knockout stages it is a clean slate to start again because anything could happen.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know ahead of the game…
What TV channel is Switzerland vs Turkey on?
When is kick off? Sunday 20 June, 17:00 (BST)
Where is the match being played? Baku Olympic Stadium, Baku
What TV Channel is it on? ITV1/ITV Hub (UK), fubo TV/ESPN (US)
Who is the referee? Slavko Vincic (SVK)
Who's on VAR duty? Bastian Dankert (GER)
Switzerland team news
Despite dramatically improved club form with Benfica in 2020/21, Haris Seferovic has been guilty of wayward finishing so far and hasn’t scored an international tournament goal since 2014. The striker only made it to half-time in the last game and could be swapped out for Mario Gavranovic.
Other than that, coach Vladimir Petkovic could stick with the players he has trusted so far and hope that they have enough quality to get the victory they need.
Turkey team news
Turkey haven’t delivered on pre-tournament hype as a team that could potentially do well under the radar. That could mean significant changes for game three in a bid to try something different, although the risk all along for the Turks is a lack of depth in the squad.
Coach Senol Gunes doesn’t have a great deal of viable alternative options and making mass changes now could be like throwing inexperienced kids to the wolves.
Predicted lineups
Switzerland: Sommer; Elvedi, Schar, Akanji; Mbabu, Freuler, Xhaka, Rodriguez; Shaqiri; Gavranovic, Embolo
Turkey: Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Soyuncu, Meras; Yokuslu; Under, Yazici, Kahveci, Calhanoglu; Yilmaz
Switzerland vs Turkey head to head record
Switzerland and Turkey have face each other on 15 occasions since meeting for the first time in an international friendly in 1952 and it is the latter who comfortably lead the head to head.
Turkey have won eight games to Switzerland’s four and the Swiss have only won two of the last 11 meetings dating back half a century to the early 1970s.
Turkey won the last encounter between the pair 13 years ago, which was a Euro 2008 group stage game on Swiss soil. Arda Turan scored a stoppage time goal to win it 2-1, but there are no survivors from either of those squads at this year’s tournament.
Switzerland vs Turkey score prediction
This is must-win for both teams, but even three points might not be enough for Turkey in the race to be one of the four best third-place teams depending on how other groups finish.
They therefore have nothing to lose, which could play to their advantage because it takes any remaining pressure off the players. However, they have to sort out a defence that was watertight in qualifying but has leaked five goals in two games here.
Switzerland have a little more to play for because victory would give them four points overall and almost certainly be enough for a place in the last 16. But they have to show far more than they have done so far, especially after being so poor against Italy last time out.
Prediction: Switzerland 1-2 Turkey
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