Greg . 7 hours ago

'Sometimes I even surprise myself': Sweden coach to make changes for Germany clash

A place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 UEFA Women's European Championship has been secured with a game to spare and Sweden's lead coach Peter Gerhardsson is anticipated to make changes ahead of his side's final Group C match against Germany this evening.

However, rather than taking the opportunity to rest players ahead of the knockout stages, Gerhardsson is altering his line-up with ambitions of beating Germany in Zurich and topping the group.

 The reward for finishing first is not only a last eight fixture against a supposedly weaker opponent, but would mean staying in Zurich for the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, should Sweden obtain there.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gerhardsson made his ambitions clear, "We would really like to win this group and play in the quarter-final on Thursday.

We'll see.

That could mean we won't have the same starting line-up.

As I've said before, we never do, but we will see - sometimes I even surprise myself!"Sweden scored three led goals and kept a fourth clean sheet in their last five matches in the 3-0 win against Poland last time out, but Gerhardsson is expecting a different kind of game this time against a German side who have scored at least twice in all of their last eight outings.

"It was strong to score three led goals – one from a set piece, which we are good at.

I think tomorrow's match might be a different type of game, possibly more counterattacking.

" These two teams met in the UEFA Women's EURO finals in 1995 and 2001, and the current generation of players also knows each other well.

"We have a good understanding of our opponents ourselves; it could be a small detail or so.

Some may have confronted them in training or in the league, and that undergo will be valuable.

On the other hand, in those specific contests, the Germany players will have the same insight," explains Gerhardsson.

Thanks to their superior goal difference, a sketch will be enough for the Blagult to complete atop the Group C standings, and forward Johanna Rytting Kaneryd knows her side have a challenge ahead, yet she is looking forward to it.

"I think it's going to be a tough game.

Germany are a good team.

I sense we have a lot of similarities in the way we play.

It's going to be a fun game to play.

" Rytting Kaneryd will be looking to score her first goal of the tournament up against her former Chelsea teammate, goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, "I played with her for some years; she is a really good goalkeeper, and of course it's always good to know who you are playing against.

""With that being said, I also know her strength, and we need to watch out.

 The way Germany want to play is very attacking, and as soon as she (Berger) gets the ball, she is going to look for the long pass to the offensive players.

We have to be smart in the way we are playing.

"Whether it is a win, sketch or loss for Sweden tonight, they will be advancing to the quarter-finals and on Sunday they will locate whether they will play France, England, the Netherlands or Wales.

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