Stephan Lichtsteiner leaves the future of Nati open

Stephan Lichtsteiner at the press conference yesterday in Russia. (Image: Laurent Gilliéron / Keystone (Toljati, July 4, 2018))

Stephan Lichtsteiner, do you continue in the national team?

I will do my analysis. Of course, I have to see how it goes. Like energy and motivation. But I can not definitely say yes or no today. The trend is rather yes.

The sooner the solution sounded. Why are you no longer safe?

I have always said that when my body and my energy allow it and that I am in shape, I am happy to continue. It looks pretty positive, but first I want to bag everything and talk to the family. I like that the team wants to do more. She has already received signals that the elders want to continue. There are also young people who want to enter. This is the best condition for Switzerland: only this way can move forward.

The emotions of the Swiss have failed Sweden. How did you watch the game of the bank?

Emotions were high on the bench, of course. It hurt me to be unable to attend and see how the team was having problems. But that's the World Cup and the fate of the defender: two yellow cards and you are suspended.

The mentality is the most important thing in football. Do the Swiss have a problem with that? Especially if you miss?

I do not think so, otherwise we would not have won ten times in twelve qualifying matches for the World Cup and we would have shot. At the World Cup, we never lost in the preliminary round, the mentality is there. Of course, it was a big match against the Swedes, a match in which you know: if you do not have your best day, it will be difficult. Perhaps we ran out of energy to invest more. Many teams have struggled to develop opportunities against the Swedes. With their style of play, they took our emotions, or at least it seemed so externally. You must exceed the limit, otherwise it will be difficult.

Why have the Swiss failed to light up the maximum amount of energy?

On the right, we could not exploit the energy reserves. There are days when it does not work as it should. Maybe safety was missing, this training was not so well established because of the barriers. Nevertheless, I was confident, and I do not think we played so badly. Maybe the last wish to win the chance on our side was missing.

What is your conclusion on the World Cup?

We wanted to write history, luck for the quarter-finals was very high. We know that we missed something unique. But the World Cup was still very positive, a good tournament. Surviving the undefeated preliminary round is a high level. If you are not ready in the round of 16, you will be eliminated.

There is a thesis that Switzerland has become predictable with its ball possession style.

No, I do not think so. Our problems against the Swedes also had the others. We have become illegible, develop opportunities in each game and score goals.

Did the Swiss speak too much?

No, the results speak for us. It's important and right to think in large dimensions. This has nothing to do with overconfidence. That's maybe why we are talking about a negative tournament. Because we wanted more.

What is the weight of this third setback after 2014, 2016 and now 2018 for this team?

You can not compare the three tournaments. We were outsiders against Argentina. We were much closer to Poland, it was bitter. We simply do not deserve the Swedes. But you can not blame the team now. That does not reject us, success and failure are close to each other.

How did the team spend the night of defeat?

It is important that everyone do what they want. The players themselves have to face disappointments. Everyone has their own style, I sat down with some players and the staff

What does the coach have to withdraw from the tournament?

Switzerland is making excellent progress. We have always gone through the group stages and we are relatively well qualified for the tournaments. Now we have to work to move on to the next step.