Euro 2008 cohosts Switzerland were handed a major boost on Wednesday when playmaker Tr a n q u i 11 o 3arnetta and

experienced defender Patrick Muller were declared fit for Saturday's tournament opener against the Czech Republic.

"Everyone is fully fit, (head coach) Kobi Kuhn will have 23 players to pick from for Saturday," squad doctor Roland Grossen reported at the Swiss squad's training base in the foothills of the Alps.

Muller may still be short of full match fitness as he continues his comeback from a long lay-off following cruciate ligament surgery and Kuhn will not make a final decision on his line-up until Friday.

But Arsenal centreback Philippe Senderos revealed that he was anticipating that Muller, who plays for French champions Lyon, would be alongside him against the Czechs.

"Patrick has been training hard and he has played the last two games with me," Senderos said. "It depends on the coach and how Patrick feels, but I think he'll be there."

The importance of Muller's vast experience to Switzerland was underlined by Borussia Dortmund striker Alexander Frei.

"Even at 90 per cent, he is a player of international class,” Frei said.

Barnetta, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, played down concerns over an ankle injury that prevented him from training for two weeks in the build-up to the tournament

"In a way it could help because I've had a two-week break at the end of what was a very long season," Barnetta said.

"I'm feeling fresh."

As Switzerland's most creative player, Barnetta will carry a heavy burden of expectation on his shoulders as the Swiss seek to progress from a group that also includes Euro 2004 finalists Portugal and Turkey.

But he insisted Kuhn's squad could cope with the pressure.

"If you play football for a living, pressure is part of your life, you have it everyday.

"It has been a long wait but now we just want to get going and show what we can do."

Switzerland's assistant coach, Michel Pont, admitted that his side would be underdogs against a Czech side that finished ahead of Germany in qualifying for the finals.

"We are up against a team ranked 6th in the world so we are not favourites by any means but we are playing at home and we will play the role of outsider at 400 per cent," Pont vowed.