Sweden take on Slovakia in Euro 2020's Group E on Friday (kick-off 2pm BST) - a game that could see Newcastle United's Emil Krafth line up against his Magpies team-mate and friend Martin Dúbravka.
But with both nations knowing that a win would go a long way towards booking their place in the round of 16, there will be no room for pleasantries at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg.
Dúbravka's Slovakia beat Poland 2-1 at the same venue on Monday afternoon before Sweden held three-time tournament winners Spain to a 0-0 draw in Seville that evening, setting up what Krafth describes as a "key game" on Friday.
Speaking to nufc.co.uk from the Sweden base camp in Gothenburg ahead of their trip to Russia to face Dúbravka and Co, Krafth smiled: "I actually sent him a text yesterday and congratulated him for the win, a good win for them, and he said the same to us - to get a point was very strong.
"It's going to be good to play against him and to see him again. I don't think we're going to speak before, because we're both going to be focused on the game. Maybe we'll say 'hi' if we see each other. But of course we're going to speak after the game and wish each other good luck.
"I saw the Slovakia game (against Poland) and they're a good side. I hadn't seen them a lot before but they're a strong side with good players, and I think that's a key game. If we can win the game and get the three points, it suddenly looks really good, you know. I think if we get four points, that could be enough to qualify for the last 16."
Just as Newcastle United did, Krafth finished last season strongly, starting the final four matches and helping to keep two clean sheets in three victories, as well as scoring his first goal for the club in a narrow defeat to champions Manchester City.
He replaced Mikael Lustig for the final 15 minutes - plus six long minutes of stoppage time - against Spain and was part of a fine Swedish rearguard action in front of a crowd of about 12,000, most of them locals.
"To play Spain away is one of the most difficult games you can play, I think, and we went with a game plan to be a little bit low and to counter attack," explained Krafth. "Maybe we were too low in the game, but as time went on I think we were very happy with one point.
"Germany went there not too long ago and lost by six goals; they tried to match them, to play. So we knew that they were going to have the ball a lot, they're good with the ball, and if we just stayed low and tried to counter attack, maybe if not three points we will get one point with some luck. And that was the case, so we were really happy.
"It's always a tough game when you defend that much. You have to always stay in your position, you don't run too much. The heat was hard for us, because it was 32, 33 degrees during the game, and you always feel the pressure from the opposing fans and from our fans, but I'm just happy that the fans were back and I hope they can increase a little bit more to fill up the stadiums more with people. Like with Newcastle for the final two games of the season, it's nice to have the fans back.
Krafth was part of an impressive defensive display against Spain on Monday evening
"And of course it gives you a boost when you keep a clean sheet against Spain. The last ten, 15 minutes they could score and it would have felt really bad, so I'm really happy that we could keep the clean seat and take the point with us."
After a training session in Spain on Tuesday morning - where Krafth was filmed scoring a couple of fine goals - Janne Andersson's squad returned to Sweden that evening and are due to fly to Russia on Thursday. On a rare rest day on Wednesday, when some of the players - including Krafth, who plays off 17 - enjoyed a game of golf, the Magpies defender sat down with nufc.co.uk in between watching Russia's Group B victory against Finland and the Group A clash between Wales and Turkey.
Asked to describe what it's like to be involved in a major tournament like the Euros, the 26-year-old - who was also part of Sweden's 2018 World Cup squad - replied: "It's a feeling I think that you have to experience. To people who haven't experienced it, it's hard to explain how it feels.
"It's a really good feeling to play for your country in such a big tournament, big games and big crowds of course; it's just a feeling that you can't describe if you haven't done it. It's a really good feeling.
"We live in a bubble for a month, maybe more, so it's pretty intense. You spend a lot of time with the guys and I think at the end of the tournament, you're tired of the guys in the team! But we've tried to make it as good as possible. We are close friends and we try to hang out as much as possible, to enjoy being here.
"It's always an honour to play with your country - it's just very intense to live with each other for more than a month, but I think we've handled it quite well. Now the games have started, you don't train too much; you're always trying to be fit and ready for the games. But I'm enjoying it so far and just looking forward to the second game now."
As well as Krafth and Dúbravka, Fabian Schär is in the Switzerland squad while Ryan Fraser is with Scotland, whose camp is at Rockliffe Hall near Darlington.
Krafth and United team-mate Martin Dúbravka are good friends - but will be on opposite sides on Friday
And while Krafth is primarily playing for the 10m population of Sweden whenever he pulls on the Blågult's classic yellow and blue shirt, he is also proud to be representing Newcastle United at the competition currently capturing the imagination of almost everybody in Europe.
"I hope that the fans think like that - they have players who have made the tournament and they follow them, me, Ryan, Fabian and Martin; that they follow us and hope we do well," he said. "Of course, I think they will support England the most but after England I hope and I think they will support us."
And why should any Newcastle fans looking for a second team at Euro 2020 choose Sweden?
"I think we are a fun side to watch - maybe not the first game against Spain but that was our game plan, that we were going to stay low. I think now in the second game against Martin and the third game against Poland, we can be more offensive and we're going to have the ball more," Krafth insisted.
"We're a strong side and we are very hard to beat. That's what we hear from all the top teams we play - they know what we're doing but it's so hard to beat us. And we have also a few really good players - young, talented players who are very enjoyable to watch."
Sweden reached the quarter-finals at the last World Cup, losing to England in the last eight, and got as far as the semi-finals of the European Championships in 1992, which they hosted.
"It's hard to tell because it's quite early in the tournament now," said Krafth when asked about their chances this time around. "Our target, our aim, is to get past the group stage and then we will see.
"Our aim now is to go through the group and reach the last 16, and then see how it goes and take it game by game - but of course, I hope we're going to go as far as possible."
Krafth helped Sweden to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2018 - can they do even better at Euro 2020?