Man Utd and Liverpool players name-dropped as Euro 2024 star prepares for frosty reunion

Manuel Akanji expects a dramatic improvement from Scotland’s Premier League contingent against Switzerland tonight (Wednesday). The Manchester City defender knows a number of Scottish faces well from his time at the Etihad Stadium, and he is used to seeing them as fierce rivals.

The Scots will have a point to prove in their second game at Euro 2024 after Germany hammered them 5-1 last week. Manchester United’s Scott McTominay and Liverpool’s Andy Robertson will be front and centre of their bid for victory against the Swiss, while Aston Villa star John McGinn also got a mention when Akanji was asked to consider who Scotland’s main threats could be.

“John McGinn had a great season with Aston Villa, so did Scott McTominay with Man United. He scored a lot of goals,” said the 28-year-old. “McGinn has a great impact in attack but also works hard against the ball. Andy Robertson has been at Liverpool for a long time and he is always dangerous coming down the wing.”

There will be no love lost between Akanji and McTominay, who play their club football on either side of the Manchester divide. And the same goes for Akanji and Robertson, given Liverpool’s title rivalry with City in recent years.

Scotland fans are desperate to see an improved display in Cologne after their pre-match partying in Munich was followed by a humiliating beating against the hosts. And Akanji is wise enough not to underestimate Steve Clarke’s side.

“They lost the first game and didn’t show their best performance,” he said. “We have to be ready from the start because they can play a lot better than they did in the first game.”

A severe weather warning has been issued in Cologne, where the threat of heavy rain and giant hail forced the host city’s fan zone to close on Tuesday. But Switzerland boss Murat Yakin insists his players will cope even if the clash with Scotland is played in extreme conditions.

“We are professional footballers and we play with any kind of weather, any kind of pitch condition,” he said. “We can still concentrate on our game, it doesn’t depend on the weather.”

Akanji was similarly unfazed when faced with the prospect of a wet and windy clash with the Scots, as he added: “If it’s difficult to play on the pitch, the players will notice that when they’re warming up and they will adapt.”