Xhaka, Embolo can return to Swiss squad after fake Covid docs affair

Switzerland's Granit Xhaka and striker Breel Embolo are eligible to return to the national team for upcoming Nations League matches following their involvement in a fake Covid-19 certificate scandal, the Swiss FA announced Tuesday. Xhaka, a 34-year-old Sunderland midfielder and Swiss record cap holder with 152 caps, and Embolo, 29, a forward from Atlanta United, both admitted to using fraudulent vaccine certificates to evade mandatory inoculations during the pandemic.

The Swiss Football Association thoroughly investigated both cases and concluded that the players' reinstatement is justified, considering the resolution of legal proceedings and the sporting consequences they faced by missing four international matches. National team director Pierluigi Tami stated that a return to the national team in November is both responsible and the right course of action.

Switzerland coach Murat Yakin, along with the players' council, unanimously decided that Xhaka would remain the captain. Switzerland currently leads Group B1 in the Nations League, achieving four consecutive wins. Yakin will unveil his squad for the final two group matches on November 5, with Xhaka and Embolo on the shortlist. The Swiss squad reconvened in late September when the Lucerne public prosecutor's office initiated an investigation into Xhaka, who acknowledged obtaining a fake certificate and subsequently stepped down.

Embolo later withdrew from the squad for similar reasons, both receiving suspended financial penalties. The Swiss FA has also issued guidelines for managing future matters involving criminal law.