Switzerland coach Murat Yakin don prepare for di question wey everybody dey ask: how you go stop Lionel Messi? Yakin, wey dey laugh, say na surprising question but dem get many solutions. E talk say dem go perform as a unit, press high, and make good passes. But for di end, e say na for pitch dem go show.
Messi, wey be 39 years old, don score eight goals for five matches for dis World Cup. Di Argentine captain don show plenty emotion for di tournament. For di round of 16 against Egypt, e miss penalty for first half, but e later assist Cristian Romero for 79th minute goal. Four minutes later, Messi find di equalizer, and Enzo Fernández score for stoppage time to complete 3-2 comeback. After di match, Messi dey cry.
Swiss captain Granit Xhaka talk say dem no fit stop Messi for 90 minutes. E say e go be very difficult, but dem go be smart, compact, and close di gaps. Xhaka, wey play for Sunderland, say dem go try to play dia own game and no allow Messi to play di ball.
Switzerland no don reach World Cup quarterfinal for 72 years. Di last time na for 1954, when dem host di tournament and lose 7-5 to Austria. Saturday go be first World Cup meeting between Switzerland and Argentina since 2014, when Argentina win 1-0 for extra time, thanks to Ángel Di María goal wey Messi assist. Xhaka, wey dey play for dat match, say e no be pleasant moment. E say dem fit score, but now 12 years later, dem go try to win against Argentina.
Xhaka talk say Switzerland don get new team, new mentality, and new generation of players. E say football for Switzerland don improve, and dem go try to bother Argentina. Switzerland enter dis match unbeaten, win four of five matches and draw against Qatar. Di squad fresh from round of 16 battle, defeat Colombia for penalty shootout. Argentina, on di other hand, don face challenge for dia last two knockout matches. Dem nearly go to penalty shootout against Cape Verde for round of 32 before rally to defeat Egypt.
Xhaka message to im squad na to bring dia A game. E say dem need to go all in, try to come back, and bring di hunger to win. E say Argentina fit be example of wetin dem fit do for future. Beating Argentina go be monumental achievement for Switzerland, wey never reach World Cup semifinal. Xhaka say e no dey here to talk, e want to take next steps. E say e dey yearn, e dey hungry, and dem need to show how much dem want am for pitch. E say e be person wey always dream, and dream fit come true, but dem need to work, sweat, and give 100 percent.
Argentina predicted lineup for di match include Emiliano Martínez for goalkeeper, Nahuel Molina for right back, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez for center back, Facundo Medina for left back, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, and Enzo Fernández for midfield, and Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martínez for attack.
