Zurich as ´yes we can´ outsiders in Group C

Zurich’s shock defeat of AC Milan in the Champions League has thrust the Swiss team into the unlikely role of “yes we can” outsiders against the Italian champions, Real Madrid and Marseille in Group C.

Zurich stand second with three points, ahead of Milan on goal difference and of twice-defeated Marseille ahead of their tie against the French team on Wednesday.

“If we can win here, we can win anywhere,” defender Alain Rochat said after the victory at Milan’s San Siro stadium.

But Zurich coach Bernard Challandes is acutely aware that his side’s jubilation is based on little more than a single match against the ailing Milanese and a goal snatched with a cheeky heeled flick by Finnish defender Hannu Tihinen.

Challandes doesn’t mention the moment they were overwhelmed 5-2 at home by Real Madrid in their first Group C tie, but he does not want to dampen his side’s new found European confidence either.

The then unfancied Swiss managed to string together a 20 minute period just after half-time when they scared the galacticos by pulling two goals back to 3-2.

“We had self-confidence after the game against Madrid, we thought ‘yes we can do’ something in the Champions League,” midfielder Xavier Margairaz said.

But Challandes underlines the fact that the reigning Swiss champions are half way down their domestic league, one of Europe’s weakest, and 16 points adrift of the leaders.

“We’ve had some bad experiences recently, that means everything for the Champions League, not enough for the Swiss championship,” commented Challandes, as the team lined up for a cup tie against Locarno, who are languishing in the bottom third of the Swiss second division.

“When a player plays badly against Locarno then he might not have a chance against Marseille either,” he remarked.

Zurich thrashed Locarno 7-0 on Saturday, with two goals from striker Alexandre Alphonse, but only after a goal-less first half that illustrated one of their problems this season and a talking to from Challandes at half time.

Zurich, who have traditionally been in the shadows of their better known cross-town rivals Grasshopper as well as Basel in recent decades, have won three of the last four Swiss league titles.

They owe the first two to coach Lucien Favre before he left for Hertha Berlin in 2007.

The down-to-earth Challandes, a successful former Swiss national under-21 team coach, has since crafted his side around Margairaz in midfield.

Winger Johannn Vonlanthen, who is fighting for a steady place in Switzerland’s national side, is top scorer with six league goals this season.

“We have one dream, we must do everything that we can to reach this second place, or third place,” in the Champions League, said Margairaz.