Switzerland will have to do without Manuel Akanji and Denis Zakaria for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Lithuania, as they travelled back to their clubs on Sunday.
In Fabian Frei, a player who was called up a day after the 2-0 defeat to Northern Ireland, joined coach Murat Yakin’s team instead. The flight from Western Switzerland to Vilnius was made up of 23 players plus staff.
However, Akanji and Zakaria were missing from the flight: Dortmund centre-back Akanji had to be substituted after 53 minutes in Geneva on Saturday. The Swiss national team’s medical department informed Yakin that the defensive specialist would not be fit for action on Tuesday due to problems in his left adductor area. He will therefore return to BVB immediately.
Suspension for Zakaria
Zakaria, on the other hand, is suspended for his second yellow card against Lithuania, which makes an onward journey unnecessary. So Gladbach coach Adi Hütter will be able to welcome him to Borussia-Park earlier than planned.
BVB will host 1. FSV Mainz 05 at 3.30 pm on Saturday, while Gladbach take on VfB Stuttgart at home three hours later.
