\n
\nDOHA: Switzerland\u2019s loss made their upcoming World Cup rematch all the more enticing, and with a lot more on the line.<\/p>\n
\nEver since the match schedule was made in April, the Group G game between Switzerland and Serbia has been one to keep an eye on. Not just because of the talented players on both teams, but because of the political tensions they brought on the field when they met at the last World Cup.<\/p>\n
\nFour years ago in Russia, Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka celebrated his goal against Serbia by making a double-headed eagle with his hands \u2014 thumbs representing the heads of the two eagles, fingers fanned to look like feathers. The figure is considered to be an Albanian nationalist symbol.<\/p>\n
\nXherdan Shaqiri added another goal in the final minute of the game, and did the same thing with his hands as the Swiss won 2-1 in the second of the three group matches.<\/p>\n
\nXhaka and Shaqiri both have ethnic Albanian heritage and family ties to Kosovo. They were teenagers growing up in Switzerland when Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, something the Serbs still don\u2019t recognize 14 years later.<\/p>\n
\nBoth players were fined by FIFA during the tournament, and the government of Albania opened a bank account for people to contribute toward paying the 10,000 Swiss franc ($10,500) penalties.<\/p>\n
\nOn Friday, only one of the two teams will be able to advance to the round of 16 in Qatar. Brazil, who beat the Swiss 1-0 on Monday and defeated Serbia 2-0 last Thursday, have already assured themselves of a spot in the knockout round.<\/p>\n
\nThe Swiss likely need only a draw at Stadium 974, and Shaqiri should be available to play after sitting out the match against Brazil with a muscle injury.<\/p>\n
\nXhaka, now 30 and a mature leader for his country, brushed aside the controversial match from four years ago.<\/p>\n
\n\u201c(There\u2019s) nothing in the history behind these two games,\u201d the Arsenal midfielder said. \u201cWe are Switzerland, they are Serbia, that\u2019s it. We are here to play football \u2014 them, us as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nStill, the Serbian delegation at this year\u2019s World Cup has already made the politics of Kosovo an issue.<\/p>\n
\nSerbia\u2019s locker room ahead of their opening game against Brazil displayed a national flag with territory that included Kosovo and the slogan \u201cNo Surrender.\u201d FIFA opened a disciplinary case against the Serbian soccer federation on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\nThe Kosovo Soccer Federation formally complained to FIFA after a photograph circulated and the country\u2019s sports minister, Hajjrulla Ceku, described the image as using the World Cup to promote \u201chateful, xenophobic and genocidal messages.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe Swiss advanced to the round of 16 in 2018 after a draw with Costa Rica in their final group match, while the Serbs were eliminated after losing to Brazil. This time, the teams go head-to-head in their final group game.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOf course, the history is the history,\u201d said Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who also played against Serbia four years ago in Kaliningrad. \u201cBut in this moment it will be the game that is important.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe know this game already,\u201d Sommer added. \u201cWe had it in Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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