‘How on earth?’ Robin Gosens defends Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka over Swiss ‘toxic’ camp claim | OneFootball

Speaking on ARD, Robin Gosens has defended Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka amid Swiss media claims of a toxic atmosphere around Switzerland’s World Cup squad.

Murat Yakin’s side have topped their group in North America and are through to the last 32 next week. After an opening draw with Qatar, Blick reported the camp mood was toxic, attributing unrest to Xhaka’s public criticism of team-mates.

Gosens questioned how such judgments could be made without dressing-room access, calling them attention-seeking headlines he does not buy.

He said Remo Freuler had described Xhaka, 33, as vital to the team, someone colleagues look up to, and the player who leads the way.

The pundit added that Xhaka’s remarks had been exaggerated, portraying him as the coach’s right-hand on the pitch who organises positioning and direction.

Xhaka later addressed the report after scoring in a 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week, saying people know his character and that he first criticises himself. He said the team’s unity and on-pitch performance matter most, he cannot influence outside noise, and he does not feel any loss of support.

Source: Sunderland Echo