Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka will miss Switzerland’s final two UEFA Nations League group fixtures after suffering a calf injury around Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea. The Swiss football association confirmed his withdrawal on Monday, 9 November, leaving both his national team and his club awaiting further clarity on his recovery.
The 34-year-old had been selected for the November international window but will not travel for the matches against Slovenia and Scotland. While the absence from Switzerland’s squad is confirmed, there has been no authoritative timetable for his return to Sunderland’s starting XI.
What happened to Xhaka against Chelsea?
According to the Associated Press, Xhaka experienced a calf problem during the warm-up before Sunderland’s home match against Chelsea on Sunday, 8 November. He nevertheless began the Premier League fixture but was substituted almost immediately. Reuters subsequently reported that the Swiss federation had withdrawn its captain because of the calf injury.
Sunderland won the match 1-0, but the result and the midfielder’s early departure are separate stories. The immediate football concern is whether the injury will affect his availability when domestic competition resumes after the international break. A short appearance does not, by itself, establish how severe a muscle problem may be.
There is an important distinction between missing the international window and being ruled out for a particular number of club matches. Switzerland have confirmed the former. Neither the reports cited here nor the national-team announcement establishes a definite return date, so it would be premature to describe Xhaka as unavailable for Sunderland’s next league fixture.
Which Switzerland matches will he miss?
Switzerland are due to play Slovenia away in Maribor on Friday, 13 November, before hosting Scotland in St Gallen on Monday, 16 November. The fixtures conclude their Nations League Group B1 programme. Xhaka’s withdrawal means coach Murat Yakin must prepare for both games without one of the squad’s most experienced midfielders.
Reuters notes that Xhaka has made 152 senior appearances for Switzerland. His international experience is particularly relevant to a pair of matches at the end of a group campaign, when organisation, communication and game management can matter as much as individual technique.
The association’s decision also interrupts a planned return to international action. Xhaka had missed the previous window for reasons unrelated to this injury. Those circumstances should not be confused with the calf issue now keeping him out of November’s matches.
What does this mean for Sunderland?
For Sunderland, the confirmed facts are limited but significant: a senior midfielder suffered a calf problem before the Chelsea game, left the pitch early and will not play for Switzerland during the break. Those developments are enough to warrant monitoring, but they do not justify predicting a lengthy absence.
Calf injuries can differ substantially in severity. Without a medical update from Sunderland, any estimate of the number of weeks required for recovery would be speculation. The club’s next selection decisions will depend on assessment, rehabilitation and how the player responds as the international window progresses.
There is also a practical advantage to the timing: with the Premier League paused for international football, Sunderland have a period without a domestic league fixture in which to evaluate the problem. The Premier League’s published calendar says the November international window runs from 9 to 17 November and league action resumes on 21 November. That gap does not guarantee fitness, but it gives the club time to establish a clearer picture.
What should supporters watch for next?
The most useful next update will come from Sunderland’s medical or coaching staff rather than from unverified claims about a return date. Supporters should look for confirmation of whether Xhaka has resumed individual work, returned to full training or remains under assessment. Each would mean something different for his immediate availability.
Switzerland, meanwhile, must settle their midfield plans for Slovenia and Scotland without their captain. A replacement selection or tactical adjustment may follow, but neither should be assumed before the federation or coach confirms it.
For now, the central development is straightforward: Xhaka is out of Switzerland’s two November Nations League games because of a calf injury sustained while on Sunderland duty. His Premier League return remains an open question, not a confirmed deadline.
Sources and verification
Reuters, 9 November 2026 reports the Swiss federation’s confirmation and the upcoming fixtures. Associated Press, 9 November 2026 describes the warm-up injury and early substitution. Premier League provides the official international-break dates.