Sunderland's Granit Xhaka has lost his Switzerland place after admitting to possessing a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate. The 33-year-old said he would take responsibility for actions he now accepts were incorrect and has been left out of the squad to face Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia.

Reports suggest legal consequences could follow, with Xhaka confirming he was already dealing with "the relevant authorities." In a statement, Xhaka said: "At the time, I was deeply unsettled and had serious reservations regarding the Covid-19 vaccination. I harboured a deep mistrust of the vaccine and was gripped by fear and uncertainty."

Swiss FA president Peter Knabel said: "We welcome the fact that Granit is taking this step and facing the issue head-on. At the same time, we mutually concluded that it is in the team's best interest to proceed with this camp without him."

Xhaka has won a record 152 caps for his country and has featured on six occasions for the Black Cats this season, including Sunday's 5-3 defeat to Manchester City.