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A cup final in round 2

It's been some 31 months since both teams faced each other for the last time, but no one has forgotten what happened back then.

When hosts Switzerland and Turkey clash in Basle on Wednesday (20:45), memories from 16th November 2005 will be revived.

Nasty memories

Players and staff of both teams had attacked each other on the pitch and in the catacombs of the Sükrü Saracoglu stadium after the Swiss had eliminated Turkey in the play-offs for participation in the 2006 World Cup.

FIFA reacted with rigorous suspensions, most of them for the Turkish side. 17 players involved in that game are still part of both squads, but everyone involved is hoping for a "normal" game of football.

"Fairness and friendship"

"It's over and forgotten. We apologised. On Wednesday there will be fairness and friendship on the pitch", coach Fatih Terim announced.

"You can't forget that. But it will never happen again. We want to decide matters on the pitch. I expect things to stay calm", Swiss midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) said.

On the brink of elimination

The match is explosive enough in itself after both teams started the tournament with a defeat. The hosts haven't given up yet, however.

"Portugal started with a defeat four years ago and still reached the final. We're still confident", former Bundesliga striker Marco Streller insisted.

Frei still with the team

Injured captain Alexander Frei is still with the team and tries to motivate everyone. "Our whole nation has just one team, and the team has a dream. That must continue on Wednesday", the Borussia Dortmund goalgetter demanded.

Frei will miss the remainder of the tournament with partially torn inside knee ligaments.

Under-fire Terim confident

In Turkey, the media have already targetted the coach, partly because FC Bayern's Hamit Altintop had to play at right back in the 2-0 defeat to Portugal. But Terim is unfazed by that.

"Doubts are not appropriate. The Euro isn't over yet. We will beat Switzerland and the Czechs and reach the last 8", the coach boasted.

Line-ups as expected:

Switzerland: 1 Benaglio - 5 Lichtsteiner, 4 Senderos, 20 Müller, 3 Magnin - 19 Behrami, 8 Inler, 15 Fernandez, 16 Barnetta - 12 Derdiyok, 11 Streller. - Trainer: Kuhn

Turkey: 23 Volkan - 20 Sabri, 15 Emre Asik, 2 Servet (13 Emre Güngör), 3 Hakan - 22 Hamit Altintop, 7 Mehmet Aurelio, 5 Emre Belözoglu, 14 Arda - 8 Nihat, 21 Mevlüt (18 Kazim). - Trainer: Terim

Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia)

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