This is supposed to be a football match, not a debate about lawn care. Yet before North Macedonia vs Switzerland in Skopje, Murat Yakin made the pitch the story, saying the grass at Tose Proeski Stadium had not been mowed and was sitting at seven centimeters long. His verdict was blunt enough to cut through the usual pre-match noise: “I’d be glad if they mowed it,” and, more pointedly, “You can’t play soccer like this.”
That is not just a grumble for the sake of it. On the eve of a road game, surface conditions matter, especially for a team that wants to move the ball with precision rather than turn the night into a scrap. Yakin even tried to keep the mood grounded with a reminder that the football still has to be played, but the message was unmistakable: Switzerland do not want this match turned into a slog before the opening whistle has even gone.
Switzerland arrive with more than one subplot
The pitch issue is only one of the major pre-match talking points in Skopje. The other is Breel Embolo, who was removed from the national team after the Swiss Football Association learned of his conviction for incitement to forgery last year, after Embolo informed officials on Wednesday and the case became public on Friday. Yakin said he is still counting on him and expects to use him again in November, but for this camp the absence is real and immediate.
Then there is Ardon Jashari, who looks set for a more prominent role. With Granit Xhaka out, the 24-year-old could get the chance to step into the side for what Yakin described as a moment when “Now it’s up to Ardon.” Jashari has been blocked by the established midfield pairing of Xhaka and Freuler, but this feels like the kind of opening players wait for. The player himself did not try to oversell it, saying, “It’s going to be very emotional for me,” while also insisting, “I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”
That is a healthy attitude, and Switzerland will need it. Jashari has only 11 appearances, with three starts, and this is exactly the sort of match where a young midfielder can either look rushed or look ready. The same goes for the team as a whole. Away from home, against North Macedonia, in a stadium where even the grass has become an issue, composure matters as much as quality.
So the headline debate may be the seven-centimeter pitch, but the real question is whether Switzerland can keep their shape amid the distractions. A difficult surface, a missing senior midfielder, and a new name trying to seize his moment is hardly a quiet build-up. It is, however, the kind of build-up that makes a road game in Skopje feel much bigger than an ordinary qualifying night.
