Xherdan Shaqiri has returned from the international cold with Switzerland, but will still miss this month's Euro 2020 qualifier with the Republic of Ireland. 

The Liverpool playmaker withdrew himself from international consideration last month as he wanted to focus on getting his club career back on track.

While he's made himself available once more, Shaqiri won't be involved in this month's games against Georgia in Tbilisi and Ireland in Geneva due to a calf injury.

Shaqiri's managed to play a grand total of 14 competitive minutes so far this season for the Champions League holders, with each of his appearances against Burnley, Napoli and Newcastle coming as a late substitute.

The 27-year old missed Switzerland's 1-1 draw with Mick McCarthy's side at the Aviva last month, and then their 4-0 win over Gibraltar three-days later.

It had been thought at the time that Shaqiri was withdrawing his services on the international front as Granit Xhaka had been awarded the Swiss captaincy.

But Shaqiri insists that was not the case, "I want to make it clear that this absence had nothing to do with the role of captain of the team".

His lack of a full pre-season is why Shaqiri felt best to hang back in Melwood last month, "Under these circumstances, I was not really able to help the national team. In consultation with its leaders, I could not appear in the national framework and focused on my club.

"I needed this break. The consequences that followed were neither intentional nor deliberate".

Switzerland head coach Vladimir Petkovic held a two-hour discussion with Shaqiri in Liverpool this week with Petkovic telling reporters, "We have agreed with Xherdan that we will not make public any content of our interaction.

"Xherdan is part of our team. We are happy to be able to count on him again."