Granit Xhaka moves into the spotlight ahead of the Nations League game against Serbia. The day before the game, Murat Yakin made it clear that he had spoken to the captain of the national team – and that everything should revolve around football.

At the 2018 World Cup, Granit Xhaka caused a scandal against Serbia with his double eagle celebration. In Qatar 2022, he clashed with the Serbian players and pulled on his teammate Ardon Jashari's jersey after the game, which many Serbs saw as a provocation – although Xhaka denied that he was referring to Kosovo freedom fighter Adem Jashari.

Of course, in the week before the game in Leskovac everything revolves around the captain of the national team. But the SFA is doing its best to keep the issue to a minimum. “It’s a game like any other,” said Nati director Pierluigi Tami at the beginning of the week. The heated duels of the last few years? Tami: “Those are old stories.”

Xhaka himself did not comment before the game in Serbia. The SFA did not send the national team captain to any of the five press conferences before the game. At the last one on Friday evening, Murat Yakin is available to answer questions from the media – and also talks about Xhaka.

“We all know the situation. We spoke to him,” says the national coach. “The game will be intense, passionate and emotional. He will help us carry our game through. If he has man coverage, we are also well prepared.”

“We want to do it together – as a team”

In football you need the necessary passion to be able to perform to your full potential. “We know granite. He is always focused and committed to his work. We focus on tomorrow. Not based on what happened in the past,” Yakin said.

On Saturday it's all about football. And not just about Xhaka. Yakin: “Granit knows what’s important. We want to win the game. Everyone is challenged – especially in terms of football. We are a team, so we want to do it together tomorrow.”