Sweden's super team, with Premier League stars like Gyokeres, Elanga and Isak, is a spectacle. But the €273m trio have so far been disappointing in their World Cup qualifying campaign. Despite this, Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has urged caution.
50 percent of the added value in the Swedish national team is based on a trio, that of Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool, who spent 273 million euros on three strikers, Viktor Gyokeres, Anthony Elanga and Alexander Isak.
The Swedish Football Association has high hopes for victory. The Premier League superstars are expected to bring the Scandinavian team back into the spotlight after missing two games.
The Swedes have started to experience complications in their World Cup qualifying campaign after a 2-2 draw with Slovenia and a 2-0 loss to Kosovo, despite initially high expectations. Gyökeres and his team have disappointed and faced a lot of criticism.
"Sweden is completely ridiculous," was one of the critical headlines, given by the media outlet "Dagens Nyheter".
Xhaka knows: It takes intelligence
But the captain of the Swiss National Team is not happy with the gloomy atmosphere that has engulfed the Swedish national football team.
"Sweden didn't have the good start that everyone, including the players, expected. But if you study the team, the quality is undoubtedly there," Granit Xhaka told "Blick" ahead of the decisive match with Sweden.
"We will have very difficult matches on the road and in the extraordinary challenge that awaits us."
The Sweden - Switzerland match will be played on Friday at 20:45 at the "Straberry Arena" stadium in Solna.
Switzerland has six points in Group B in first place after two matches. Kosovo has three points in second place, while Sweden and Slovenia have one point each.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin knows from his own experience what it's like to play against top-level strikers.
"You always have one eye on them. They are attackers that you don't see for a long time, but they appear in the blink of an eye."
One such player is Viktor Gyokeres. He set new records in Lisbon while playing for Sporting. He later joined Arsenal, scoring 125 goals in 102 appearances. The former Arsenal captain is aware of the importance of the match. "We know we have to play smart."
Van der Gaag for Elangan: Space and speed
Anthony Elanga, Gyokeresi's partner during the opening campaign in Ljubljana and Prishtina, is ready for great performances at any time. After two outstanding years in Nottingham, he earned a million-dollar contract with Premier League contenders Newcastle.
Zurich coach Mitchell van der Gaag knows Elanga from his time at Manchester United. "I knew him as a young, eager learner, a team player. He always listened to the coaches and improved." But the million-dollar transfer has had its effect. Elanga has shown his skills at Nottingham.
"Anthony's biggest threat is his speed in space. He combines speed with technical ability. Since settling in England, he has played with the right amount of confidence."
Favre's meeting with Isak
The third Swedish player is someone who moved to the champions, Liverpool. He is Alexander Isak. The Reds signed him from Newcastle for a record €145m in the summer. Fabian Schaar's former teammate excelled in England, scoring 62 goals in 109 games. But things have not gone well for Liverpool. One goal in six games – and that in the League Cup. Even at 18, Isak has impressed Lucien Favre. "He had something you could see straight away. His elegance with the ball, his movement, his coordination – extremely good."
The Swiss took him to Dortmund in the summer of 2018.
But at Dortmund he had big competition: two World Cup winners, Mario Gotzen and Andre Schurrle, as well as Marco Reus, Christian Pulisic and Jadon Sancho.
So there was no room for Isak, who was loaned to Willem II in the Eredivisie. He had 12 goals in as many games in the Netherlands. A five-year contract at Real Sociedad followed – and now the culmination in England.
A match in September would be better.
Isak, Gyokeres, Elanga - they all need to stop. "I would prefer to play against them in September," Yakini admits immediately, as Isak in particular had no preparation before his move to Liverpool.
However, the national team coach is not worried, as his team, with Kosovo's Muriqi and Slovenia's Sheshko, have already played with players of similar profile in September and the players know each other. "Ultimately, we need to have a clear picture and be aware that we have good players from defense to attack," Yakin said.