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Granit Xhaka vows to ‘smash’ Arsenal team-mates when Switzerland face Brazil in the World Cup.
Granit Xhaka has sworn to keep a World Cup promise and ‘smash’ his Arsenal teammates when Switzerland face Brazil in Qatar.
In their Monday matchup at Stadium 974 against pre-tournament favourites Brazil, Switzerland and Brazil are both hoping to improve on their Group G debuts.
Xhaka, who has been in outstanding form for Premier League champions Arsenal, assisted Switzerland in beating Cameroon by a close margin, and Brazil made history by defeating Serbia 2-0.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka promised Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli before the club travelled for Qatar that he would “smash” them if required if he came up against them on the field for Arsenal.
‘We were joking before the World Cup to come here and of course, it is always good if you have team-mates opposite your, but we are professional footballers and for 90 minutes,’ Xhaka said.
‘I told Gabby Martinelli and Gabby Jesus if you are running one against one against our goalkeeper I will smash you!
‘It doesn’t matter that we are playing in the same team. This is the Word Cup. You play for your own team, you play for your own country and you want to win.
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‘Of course, they were worried. They know me. If I smash you, it will be very very hard.’
On the threat of Jesus, Xhaka added: ‘Of course when you see him every day he makes a big big difference. The guy is unbelievable.
‘First of all he is a lovely person, very humble and the quality he has is unbelievable.
‘Of course, with Man City he was playing and sometimes not playing, you are not in this rhythm, but you can see with us he is making the difference and that is why we are where we are at the moment.
‘Brazil have world-class players. Big, big quality, the favourites in the tournament and the favourites in our group but it is one game. Anything can happen.’
While Switzerland’s World Cup campaign is off to a promising start, Xhaka has warned his teammates that Brazil and Serbia will present them with even greater challenges.
He said: ‘The first game is important. It gives you a lot of confidence. If you see the next two games, they will be more difficult than Cameroon, on paper.
‘We enjoy the three points and now we are focused on Brazil. Of course, we will have to be much more careful against Brazil than we were against Cameroon. If you lose the ball against Brazil you pay for it. They have great, great quality.’