Mathematically, it is not that easy to filter out the best 16 teams from 24 football teams, which are divided into six groups, after the preliminary round matches.

The crutch used by Uefa is: in addition to the two group winners, the four best thirds will advance.

Achim Dreis

Sports editor.

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    What seems awkward in terms of language is highly questionable from a sporting point of view, since to clarify the status quo, cross-references have to be made between the differently strong pools. And mentally, it demands maximum performance from those affected, as can be explained using the example of the Swiss national team.

    It was Sunday evening, shortly before 10 p.m. local time (8 p.m. CEST), when the Swiss successfully defended their third place in European Championship group A in far-away Baku. After the 3-1 victory in the final of the disappointed so far, it was at least clear to the players of the "Nati" that, unlike the Turks, they were not eliminated directly. In order to make it into the second round of the group, however, they missed two goals, as Wales were only defeated 0: 1 against Italy's B-Elf and thus claimed second place with four points (3: 2 goals).

    The Swiss, on the other hand, had to go on the 3100-kilometer flight back to their EM quarters this Monday with a balance of four points and 4: 5 goals in their luggage. That is in Rome, where they landed after four hours, but immediately made up for two hours because Baku is in a different time zone. In the Italian capital, the Swiss stay at the Hotel Sheraton Parco de 'Medici and train on the AS Roma training grounds. "Mentally, it is certainly more interesting for the players to be stationed in Rome than in Baku," said national coach Vladimir Petkovic, explaining the location in the most difficult group for logistical reasons.

    And there they sit now and have to wait and see what happens in the other groups in the coming days.

    Your defense chief Manuel Akanji, who is considered a math genius, should have to do a lot of work in order to be able to click all his teammates up to date with the latest projections about progress or elimination.

    Because only on Wednesday evening, 11 p.m. CEST, after the preliminary round matches in the "German Group" F, will there be final certainty as to which third party group will be among the top four - and whether the Swiss will be there.

    No less than 75 hours after the final whistle of their own match, the Swiss know whether they are still in the tournament or not.

    Truly a masterpiece of tournament planning on the part of Uefa.

    First of all, there is Group C this Monday (6 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship on ARD and MagentaTV). Here the Ukraine (4: 4 goals) and Austria (3: 3) fight tied with three points each for places two and three. The Swiss hope for a victory, no matter for whom, because then the respective loser would stick to three points and would be behind Switzerland in the special table of the third. Should the game end in a draw, there would be two losers: Austria, as it would close behind Ukraine because of the fewer goals scored - and Switzerland, because they knew this rival ahead of them.