FIFA World Cup 2018: Switzerland will be our hardest match, says Kolarov

Serbia defender Aleksandar Kolarov (right) and midfielder Marko Grujic during a training session in Kaliningrad recently. Pic/AFP

Serbia will attempt to wrap up qualification to the World Cup knockout rounds today as they take on a Switzerland team brimming with confidence after grabbing a draw with Brazil. The Serbs control their own destiny in Group E after an opening 1-0 win against Costa Rica on Sunday, which came courtesy of a stunning Aleksandar Kolarov free-kick.

Victory over Switzerland in Kaliningrad on Friday would guarantee Serbia a place in the last 16, regardless of whether they win or lose their final group game with Brazil. Roma star Kolarov acknowledged that Serbia are in a strong position to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time since they competed alongside Montenegro in 1998.

However, Kolarov cautioned that the Serbs would take nothing for granted against the Swiss. "It's very important that we have these three points in the bag, but it's not over. Switzerland will be the hardest match. I don't want to do the math for now. If we draw, it would not work, we want to win of course," he said.

Serbia boast a host of current and former Premier League talent, including Manchester United Midfielder Nemanja Matic. But their rising star is Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Former coach Slavoljub Muslin, who led the team to qualification for Russia, reportedly paid with his job for failing to select Milinkovic-Savic. It's not a mistake current coach Mladen Krstajic intends to repeat.

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