World champion Christoph Kramer on the Swiss national team captain
“You can’t get that out of Xhaka anymore”
Nati captain Granit Xhaka (30) lets himself be carried away to grab his crotch in the win against Serbia. “Unnecessary,” says Beni Huggel. Xhaka’s German ex-colleagues also fear that he will harm the national team and himself.
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Germany’s world champion of 2014, Christoph Kramer, explains on ZDF: “I think such scenes are a shame – but that’s part of Granit Xhaka.”
Granit Xhaka’s crotch grip in Switzerland’s win over Serbia heats up. The experts agree on the analysis, but also demand understanding for the national captain.
Huggel: “Totally unnecessary”
Ex-national player Beni Huggel (45), for example, says after the match on SRF: “Let’s hope for Switzerland that this has no consequences. Of course, this is a scene that is unnecessary. Especially when there are consequences. I can understand that sometimes you’re emotionally somewhere else during a game. And I would advise against morally judging him now. Because as a football player, that can happen to you. But of course it’s totally unnecessary. And above all, when it has consequences for him and the team, that’s just stupid. Then you harm yourself – and in an unnecessary way.”
Crotch grip: Hakan Yakin explains Xhaka after renewed provocation(06:08)
The two German world champions from 2014, Christoph Kramer (31) and Per Mertesacker (38), talk about the Swiss national team captain on ZDF. Both know Xhaka well. Mertesacker still from Arsenal, Kramer played with him in Gladbach.
Mertesacker on the game: “There were a bit too many emotions at play for the Swiss. There will probably also be an aftermath of what you have seen. There was a lot going on there.”
Mertesacker: “Thought Xhaka had matured”
Mertesacker says about Xhaka: “We also thought that he had matured through the lessons that this last game (2018, ed.) brought about. These are provocative gestures. There was probably also a nice verbal exchange. This then led to a pile-up. If the control committee looks at it, there may still be penalties afterwards.”
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Made it: Switzerland is in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar.
Kramer about his ex-player: “You can’t get that out of Granit Xhaka anymore. But that’s totally okay too, because that’s the only way he’s become the player he is through this character. I think such scenes are a shame – but that’s part of Granit Xhaka.”
“Switzerland wants to get ahead, they need Xhaka for that”
“Xhaka has been through a lot,” says Mertesacker. “Obviously it made him the player he is. Nevertheless, one hopes that he and the team will not be harmed by such an action. Because: Switzerland is in the round of 16 for the third time in a row. They want to get ahead now, go one step further. And for that they also need a Granit Xhaka.”
The world champion comments on a headbutt by Denis Zakaria (26), also a former Kramer player near Gladbach, who was suggested in the group: “So if Denis Zakaria jumps out of his skin like that, then something must have happened. Because that’s actually really a quiet representative. He’s lucky that he doesn’t hit the Serb and he doesn’t make anything of it. If the Serb lay down and the VAR intervened, then there would probably be a red card.” (wst)
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Gregor Kobel, grade 4: Can’t do anything about the goals conceded.
Blick assesses the round of 16: “Portugal doesn’t like to play against Switzerland”(01:15)
Blick reporter Benjamin Fisch: “It was hot on the pitch”(03:17)
Boundless cheers: Car parade honks its way through downtown Bern(07:05)
Hakan Yakin about Brother Murat: “He already has his eleven for Portugal in mind”(34:39)
«Now to the final»: Nati fans turn night into day in Doha(03:27)
After Switzerland’s victory it’s off: Public viewing in Winterthur becomes a madhouse(01:43)
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