Right, I’m going to wrap this up now and send you on to the live coverage of England v Czech Republic. We’ll also have the live blog on Scotland v Croatia going up soon too. Thanks for all your many emails, comments and tweets. Enjoy the football. Bye.
Updated
The Denmark captain Simon Kjaer has been speaking to Danmarks Radio and said he considered not playing in his side’s Euro 2020 Group B game against Belgium as he just didn’t know if he was capable of doing so after being so heavily involved in helping to save the life of Christian Eriksen. He also spoke about the hugely positive effect that the support of fans has had on the squad.
The idea was not that I would stop playing football completely, but if I would be ready to play football again four days later. I didn’t know if I was going to play football again right away after what happened that night. And then you come to a point where you want to try, but you do not know. But the way we have tackled it together is something we can only be proud of. I am very proud of the lads and the whole staff. We had probably dreamed that there could be some euphoria in Denmark after three matches. But the support and support we have received has been wilder than expected. There have been some wild days in Parken that we will never forget. It has just been too insane, and we are deeply grateful for the support we have received.
Away from the Euros, some disappointing news for fans who were hoping to see Team GB in action before they travel to Japan to compete for an Olympic medal in the football tournament. This from PA:
Great Britain’s Olympics warm-up match against Zambia is off, with the Football Association announcing the African side have had to withdraw. The fixture had been scheduled to take place at Stoke’s bet365 Stadium a week on Thursday. But a statement from the FA on Tuesday said: “Due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control Zambia have had to withdraw from the National Lottery-hosted GB Women’s Football send-off game on 1 July. The African nation - who will also be taking part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo next month - had to pull out because of complications linked to Covid-19 restrictions. Ticket refunds will be issued to all purchasers.” A limited number of tickets for the game had gone on sale from 11 June. Hege Riise’s GB side are scheduled to begin their Olympic campaign by facing Chile in Sapporo on 21 July, then take on hosts Japan at the same venue three days later before concluding their Group E fixtures with a 27 July clash in Kashima with Canada.
I reckon I’ve listened to more Scottish music in the buildup to these Euros than any other nation’s. In most part down to As The Love Continues, by Mogwai and As Days Get Dark, by Arab Strap, who had been out of music for almost as long as Scotland’s absence from major tournaments yet came back with an absolute belter. I’d like to think Andy Robertson will have The Turning Of Our Bones playing in his head as he legs it up and down the left wing this evening.
We’ve heard quite a bit about how Scotland might alter their lineup to bring Scott McTominay into midfield to replace Billy Gilmour. That move would surely help to limit the time on the ball that Luka Modric might get, given McTominay chases after opponents like a guard dog going after trespassers. But we haven’t heard as much from Croatia. Perhaps that is because their manager, Zlatko Dalić, is feeling a bit downbeat: “Scotland should have done much better against the Czechs; they had a lot of chances. They showed motivation and fighting spirit against England as well, and they will be the same against us because three points means a historic result for them in their stadium in front of their fans. A winning result is what gives you that positive atmosphere and we haven’t had that. We had that in Russia [at the 2018 World Cup] but now we are constantly in the red and we can’t get into a rhythm.” Despite Gilmour’s absence, this is a huge chance for Scotland tonight, isn’t it?
Rick Grant writes: “Just want to say Figs Jackson’s earlier email (Covid protocol fantasy v reality, 15.46)) totally reflects my experience at Wembley for the Croatia game. On arriving for our timed slot some three hours before kick off we were told we needn’t pay any attention to that, and to go in whenever we wanted (can’t say I wasn’t grateful for that). When the time came I had to show a single NHS text to get in (which could easily have been forwarded from a mate with the contact duly renamed as there was no ID check to speak of – or just faked from the get go) and once inside it really felt like all bets were off. Big groups of fans bunched up chanting at the bars, about 50/50 on the masks. They were far more concerned about my bag being no bigger than a piece of A4 paper (three separate checks!). One might think that after the whole Champions League final location/Covid debacle this could have been an opportunity to be somewhat magnanimous and show we’re prepared to practise what we preach but instead I find myself thinking of DJ shadow’s seminal missive: Why hip hop sucks in ‘96’ (it’s the money, kids).”
And a different view from Thomas Atkins: “I feel for Figs Jackson, who should unquestionably have been given the right to a refund if they didn’t feel happy going to the game. However, with an effective vaccine available we’re getting to the stage where if people are uncomfortable being in close proximity to other humans, they should withdraw themselves from the situation, and let everyone else start to live their lives again. Difficult if you’ve got to work in an Amazon warehouse or commute to work by train every day, but if you’re in a position where you don’t feel safe going to a football game unless there’s an unsustainably small number of people there, then the answer is simply not to go to the game.”
Some England fans have hit the pyro early in Leicester Square, where just a few days ago, thousands of Scotland fans turned it into a wet and wild playground.
Meanwhile, the sky above Hampden Park before Scotland v Croatia looks far brighter than the grey sludge hovering over London this afternoon.
Updated
Gary Harley thinks I need a new approach if I’m ever going to get a call off Joachim Löw, or Hansi Flick (I still have life left in these 42-year-old legs, after all). “I am not surprised that you have not (yet) been given a call-up by Germany, Gregg, your attitude is all wrong! This is not England we are talking about here, is it, man? Get a grip, get some counselling, get fit, and make your presence and availability both known and felt. Löw isn’t around for much longer, take that as your opportunity for a fresh start, and quit with the excuses, son!”
And on the subject of Germany. Obviously they go into tomorrow night’s games as huge favourites. It was not always that way, as is made clear in this wonderful re-telling of the Miracle of Bern at the 1954 World Cup final.
Updated
The Wales defender Joe Rodon has been speaking about the challenge of taking on Denmark in Amsterdam, where there will be no Welsh support in the last-16 tie due to Covid restrictions but plenty of Danes.
The Turkey game in Baku was a challenge we loved and enjoyed. Winning that game was a great feeling. It is frustrating that we can’t have our own fans, but we’ve just got to get on with it. I’m just delighted to have fans back in the stadium, to get that atmosphere back. That tension in the game, I can’t wait. It’s just normal going to away games in the season, something you have to be used to. It is a shame our fans can’t be there, but it makes us more excited to go to Amsterdam and put in a performance for them at home. It’s a big game and Denmark are a very good team. It will come down to moments in the game, but we’re going to have to be on it and focused for the whole 90 minutes or extra time. But we can’t wait for the weekend to come.
Niall O’Keeffe has emailed in with a list of current England players who could play for Republic of Ireland.
1) Harry Kane. Irish grandparents through his dad.
2) Michael Keane played for Ireland at Under-17 and Under-19 level
3) Patrick Bamford. Played underage for Ireland
4) Harry Maguire. Has to have Irish blood with a name like thatAnd those lads Rice and Grealish. But rather than be bitter, maybe celebrate those born in England to Irish families. The Gallaghers. Morrissey. John Lennon. And many more. Oh. And me too.
I qualify to play for Germany through my mum but Jogi Löw didn’t come down to watch me play 8-a-side on a Monday and I was cruelly overlooked.
Thanks Tom. I’ll start with the story from our Berlin correspondent, Kate Connolly, on that decision by Uefa and the mayor of Munich’s new plans to illuminate a huge wind turbine opposite the stadium in rainbow colours instead.
Updated
Right, my work here is done, and I’m off to steel myself for an evening of flitting between channels repeatedly, thereby rendering any tactical “insights” I may have about Croatia, Scotland, England and the Czech Republic even more incoherent than usual. And I’ll pass you back to Gregg, who’ll guide you through the rest of the day before we can start our big matches buildup in earnest.
England latest – Saka could also start in place of Foden. Here’s Jacob’s report:
Piece just dropped on the PA News wire on the Chilwell/Mount isolation, in which a Covid test specialist says it will have been ‘a judgment call’ to order the England pair’s self-isolation but no members of the Scotland squad.
“It comes down to interpretation,” said immunologist Denis Kinane, the co-founder of Cignpost Diagnostics, a Government-accredited service offering Covid screening and testing.
“Nobody actually knows for definite and a lot of people use the public health definition to make rules. They’ll have tracked back a bit and seen there were two English players in close contact with him in terms of hugging or chatting.
“Essentially what we’re talking about is spit. Any saliva or aerosols in the air – kissing, laughing, singing, coughing, that kind of thing can spread it.
“When we talk about what constitutes close contact, there is a time element to it, an activity element to it and then the distance between the people.”
Kinane says it is possible other elements were taken into consideration when it was decided how long the players should isolate for.
He told the PA news agency: “If they’ve been asked to isolate until Monday they must think there was some significant contact, or they are making an example of them, or falling back on public health rulings and doing everything by the book. But we just don’t know and we don’t have all the facts.”
This one’s gonna run and run, folks.
“Writing as a very fortunate ‘fans first’ ticket holder for the first semi final,” emails Figs Jackson. “Today’s announcement of the increase to 60,000 spectators for the semis and final is completely irresponsible to those with tickets. To call my ticket ‘fans first’ is a total misnomer. The health and safety of fans is not being put ‘first’ and now I feel extremely uncomfortable about attending the game.
“Having attended hundreds (if not thousands) of matches both domestic and abroad including many UEFA and FIFA events, all the so-called security checks and protocols such as name checks on tickets outlined on tickets and online prior to attending completely evaporate in reality on match day.
“To suggest that all fans attending will prove they are double vaccinated/with a negative test is totally unrealistic. It just won’t happen. And puts an unworkable stress on those stewarding the event.
Of course, this increase could be seen as just a political statement, but that’s another point of discussion.
More, as we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic, the health and welfare of those hoping to attend the game has clearly been disregarded.
“And by the way, the portal to return tickets has been closed, so that option isn’t open to those who are concerned for their safety. Happy for you to reflect any comments made above online. Thanks for reading.”
Here’s that Wembley capacity story in full, from Paul McInnes:
Grealish, Maguire and Shaw set to start
England team news latest:
It sounds like Gareth Southgate is going to give the masses what they want tonight. With Mason Mount unavailable after his chat with Billy Gilmour last Friday, Jack Grealish is expected to come into England’s starting 11 against the Czech Republic tonight. It will be Grealish’s first start of the tournament.
Ben Chilwell is also isolating after his part in the Gilmour rendezvous in the Wembley tunnel. Luke Shaw in at left-back. And Harry Maguire is expected to start.
Updated
Our man in Glasgow, getting in the mood:
Matchday three… 🏴 pic.twitter.com/1qtNMDyKRM
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) June 22, 2021
Updated
With France facing Portugal tomorrow, fancy a warm bath in prime Euros nostalgia? Then kick back and luxuriate in Steven Pye’s retelling of the 1984 semi-final, one of the greatest games in the history of the tournament.
The Munich mayor, Dieter Reiter, has spoken out on the Uefa rainbow lights ban at the Allianz Arena: “I find it shameful that Uefa forbids us to send a message here in Munich for openness, tolerance, respect and solidarity with the LGBTQI + community,” he said in a statement.
“I am also very disappointed that the DFB (the German football federation), despite the unbelievably clear positioning here in Munich, in Bavaria and also in Germany, has not achieved or wanted to achieve anything. The alternative suggestion of illuminating the Allianz Arena on another day contradicts any message that is supposed to emanate from rainbow lighting.”
“Are you able to please explain why the two England players are out tonight for chatting to Gilmour in the tunnel,” asks Lyn, writing from France (and 1,057 others), “yet the entire Scotland team is not only not in isolation but also able to play? Has any guidance on the method/madness been provided?Obviously it’s great for Scotland, but I’m just trying to get my head around how the Scotland team hasn’t had similar (or more) contact if they have been training (and sharing hotels, meals, etc) with him.”
It’s seemingly to do with the nature of Gilmour’s contact with Mount and Chilwell, which was indoors, in a lengthy conversation after the game, rather than all those sweaty, closer but briefer encounters in Wembley’s wide open spaces. “These factors were more relevant and concerning to PHE than photos of Mount and Chilwell embracing Gilmour on the pitch at full-time,” according to a report in the Independent.
Updated
Some reaction from a ‘gutted’ Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell on their exclusion from tonight’s game, from PA.
… Following confirmation from the Football Association over the decision, which was taken in consultation with Public Health England (PHE), both players posted a brief message on social media.
Midfielder Mount wrote on Twitter: “I’m absolutely gutted to have to miss tonight’s game. I’ll be cheering on the boys as usual and ensuring that I’m ready to go again when called upon. Come on England!”
Defender Chilwell posted: “It’s a tough one to take and I’m gutted but I want to wish the boys all the best tonight in the game, I’ll be cheering you all on. I will make sure I am ready for when I can rejoin the squad. Lets go England!”
The FA said both players will now isolate “up to and including next Monday (June 28)”.
A bit of women’s domestic transfer news: Liverpool have signed Leanne Kiernan from West Ham, reuniting the Republic of Ireland forward with the former Hammers manager Matt Beard, who’s now in charge of the Championship side.
Wembley crowds of 60,000 permitted at semi-finals and final
The UK government has announced it will allow crowds of 75% capacity at Wembley for the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final, under an agreement reached with Uefa. The matches will form part of the government’s Events Research Programme under its coronavirus recovery programme, and fans will be expected to meet Covid entry requirements.
The DCMS’s release states: “All ticket holders will need to follow a number of strict entry requirements including having a negative Covid-19 test or proof of full vaccination – two doses received, 14 days before the fixture. Ticket holders registered with a GP in England will be able to display their proof of vaccination via the NHS app, or equivalent proof printed out, for example for people from Scotland and Wales. Ticket holders will also be able to display a NHS negative lateral flow test result via email, test message or the NHS app.”
Updated
“It was like a winter bath for the people’s souls.” Marcus Christensen looks at the Danish media reaction to last night’s excitement in Copenhagen.
If you’re struggling with live football cold-turkey this afternoon, I feel compelled to inform you that some intense, high-quality, low-scoring cricket is taking place in Southampton, where India are fighting back against New Zealand. And you can follow it here.
Uefa’s attempt to put this ‘political’ issue to bed going well then …
🌈✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/YlGwTcwPOu
— Antoine Griezmann (@AntoGriezmann) June 22, 2021
Thanks Gregg, and yeah, Gene were an underrated band as it goes (this, for example, is glorious) but what with all the Euro 96 retrospectives, men of a certain age have probably delighted the public long enough with their Nineties nostalgia. So back to the present – and reports that Jack Grealish will start for England, and that Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire will be involved too.
I’m going to hand back to Tom now so I can run along and make some food myself. I’ll leave you to enjoy Marina Hyde sticking the boot into Uefa and Boris Johnson. Bye.
It’s 1.22pm so, erm, it’s time for The Fiver, featuring a load of 80s and 90s indie music references and the question: would Gareth Southgate really tell you that Gene were an underrated band?
Wolfsburg’s Volkswagen Arena will join Berlin’s Olympiastadion, Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park and Cologne’s RheinEnergieSTADION in lighting up in rainbow colours for Germany’s match against Hungary tomorrow.
Volkswagen Arena tomorrow night 🏳️🌈#VfLWolfsburg pic.twitter.com/XHsZaQ8Vpw
— VfL Wolfsburg EN/US 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) June 22, 2021
Ben Fisher has the latest from the Wales camp, where Ben Davies has received a message from his former teammate Christian Eriksen telling him that the Welsh are in for a ding-dong Amsterdam battle in the last-16 tie on Saturday.
Updated
Spain could face an embarrassing group-stage exit if they don’t beat Slovakia in Seville tomorrow and they’re set to recall Sergio Busquets, who missed the beginning of the Euros after catching Covid, to add a bit of calm authority in midfield. Busquets is the only player left in the Spain squad who won the World Cup in 2010 and César Azpilicueta reckons his experience is invaluable.
We missed him. We tried to make up for his absence, but Sergio is a key player for this team and we are happy that he is back. He is an incredible captain who helps the entire team. We all know how dominant he is in the midfield both defensively and offensively.
Is he the answer to the La Roja’s stumbling displays so far? He’ll certainly help keep the back door shut but isn’t it a lack of ruthlessness in attack that has cost them points? Busquets will speak at the pre-match press conference later today which suggests he will start. Spain are two points behind Group E leaders, Sweden, and one behind Slovakia, who need a draw to guarantee their spot in the next round.
Updated
There might not be a rainbow display at the Allianz Arena tomorrow but other German stadia will light up instead. “If it’s about tolerance and human rights, we’re there,” said a message on the Twitter account for Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
Wow, German stadia doing an “I’m Spartacus” over UEFA’s Munich rainbow lights refusal #ger #hun pic.twitter.com/UcmqC61Sl4
— Peter Murphy (@MurphyPeterN) June 22, 2021
Updated
Thanks Tom. Afternoon everyone. As some of you have mentioned below the line, the attention the Allianz Arena story is now getting has probably helped more than serve the purpose and the mayor of Munich must be very happy with that, if not Uefa’s decision. And what happens if they light it up anyway?
OK, I’m off for some food. Which seems a good time for a recap of today’s main stories:
- Uefa has rejected a request to illuminate the stadium in Munich with rainbow colours in a gesture against homophobia for tomorrow’s Germany v Hungary match
- Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell have been told to self-isolate until 28 June in response to Billy Gilmour’s positive Covid test
- Denmark fans have been told they will be allowed to travel to Amsterdam for their second-round tie against Wales, though Wales’s are not.
And with that, I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Gregg Bakowski. See you’se later.
Denmark fans can travel to Amsterdam for Wales tie
Just in, from PA.
Denmark fans have been told they can travel to Amsterdam to watch Saturday’s Euro 2020 round of 16 tie which Wales supporters are banned from.
It was reported on Monday that Wales and Denmark fans would not be allowed to attend the game because the two nations are not on the Holland’s safe country list.
But Erik Brogger, director of Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Citizen Service, told a press conference on Tuesday that Danish fans could avoid quarantine in Holland if they entered and left the country within 12 hours.
“You can get to football, but you have to plan quite carefully if you do not want to risk being quarantined in a hotel room,” Brogger was quoted as saying by Danish media outlet Politiken.
“It should be technically possible, but you have to plan it pretty carefully.
“For most people, it will probably be better to stay at home. We encourage you to watch the match at home.”
The Danish authorities said fans could travel if they present a negative PCR test that is a maximum of 72 hours old.
They must go into isolation for 10 days - but with the opportunity to test themselves out of it on day five - and bring a quarantine certificate that shows where you want to stay in isolation.
The news will not go down well with Wales fans, who were told on Monday that they were banned from the fixture.
Wales’ health minister Eluned Morgan said police in Amsterdam would not be “letting Welsh fans into the country.”
“We have had some guidance from the police in Amsterdam who have told us that they will not be letting Welsh fans into the country,” Baroness Morgan told a press briefing.
“And so that means that we would encourage you of course to stay here and watch the matches carefully.
“If local authorities come forward and ask us for the setting up of fan zones, then of course we will as a government consider that and publish guidelines for how that could be done in a safe way.”
Football Supporters’ Association Cymru chairman Vince Alm told BBC Wales fans had been treated like “second-class citizens”.
“It’s very, very disappointing that we weren’t made aware of this at the start of the competition,” Alm said.
“I think UEFA should have looked at these venues and made sure there was a level playing field.”
From BTL, SannaCarlstrom writes:
“The same Eufa that football fans sided with when the breakaway league was mooted. The same Uefa with a record of corrupt, bureaucratic and financial mismanagement. Glad to see supporters have their leaders that they want.”
Well I think that conflates two different issues, and supporters have never said they want this Uefa leadership, more that they don’t also want those club owners. And does anyone really think Andrea Agnelli, Florentino Perez, the Glazers or the Abu Dhabi ruling family would behave any differently in a situation such as this?
Updated
So, who comes in for Mount then? Bellingham? A rejig to get more than one of Sancho, Grealish and Foden on the pitch? Frankly, I’ve given up trying to work out what the best England XI is; any thoughts?
Updated
And here’s the full story on Mount and Chilwell:
Amid all the conjecture, calls and VIP-exceptionalism, Uefa has reiterated that it has no plans to shift the final and semis from Wembley. The latest from PA Media:
Uefa have no plans to take the semi-finals and final away from Wembley after concerns the lack of agreement over quarantine-free travel for officials could see the matches switched to Hungary.
Talks are still ongoing between Uefa, the Government and Football Association over a workaround solution which would see up to 2,500 VIPs attend the Euro 2020 final on July 11.
It is understood a deal is close to being struck which would see some restrictions remain in place for the select group and Uefa is not currently considering a move to Budapest.
“Uefa, the English FA and the English authorities are working closely together successfully to stage the semi-finals and final of Euro 2020 in Wembley and there are no plans to change the venue for those games,” read a statement from European football’s governing body.
A Government source said there had been “positive” talks to address the issues around coronavirus restrictions and that “final details are being worked through”’ but ministers have indicated that some restrictions would remain in place. Culture minister Baroness Barran told peers on Monday the Government would restrict any changes to the “smallest possible group deemed critical to staging the tournament successfully”.
She said VIPs or accredited guests would not be exempt from restrictions but instead only be able to leave isolation for official events, would be subject to testing and bubble arrangements with a very strict code of conduct in place.
Back to Denmark, and a neutral would have needed a heart of the most solid stone not to have been swept up in their performance last night. Here are some of the best images:
“Ramsdale! Ramsdale is the chosen one.” Yep, David Squires’s latest Euros cartoon has landed, featuring entertaining Spurs diversions:
Chilwell and Mount must isolate until next Monday
England latest:
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell must isolate up to and including next Monday. Rules them out of England's game against the Czech Republic tonight.
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) June 22, 2021
This would definitely rule them out of England’s second-round match, unless they win Group D, whose winners don’t play until Tuesday 29 June. If they come second, they’re in Copenhagen on Monday and if they’re third, they’re likely to be in Budapest facing the Dutch on Sunday.
Updated
Some more background on the broader situation in Hungary:
“You’re obviously busy with weightier issues,” writes Peter Van, naively, “but let me just tell you how very excited I am about tonight’s Scotland-Croatia. I hope the Scots win, but I especially enjoy the situation – both teams absolutely must win within 90 minutes, no playing for a draw, no hanging on for penalties.
It’s a guarantee for a lively match. Only it probably won’t be. My prediction for how it will go:
- 0’ to -20’’: Scotland dominates with dazzling football, create loads of chances, can’t score
- 21’: Croatia scores from a dead ball situation.
- 22’ to 98’: Scotland dominates with dazzling football, create loads of chances, can’t score
Yes, I am predicting eight added minutes. No, Scotland probably won’t score anyway.”
If Scotland play with the intensity and intelligence they showed at Wembley, they can win, against a Croatia side that have looked stuck in second gear so far, but the goalscoring thing’s a worry.
Looking ahead again to tonight, this is the first meeting between England and the Czech Republic at a tournament finals since the break-up of Czechoslovakia (there was the deeply forgettable goalless draw with Slovakia at this stage of Euro 2016 of course), which stirs memories of the 1982 World Cup in Spain, when England beat Czechoslovakia in their second of three wins in the group stage, before running out of steam and inspiration in the next phase:
Hey Uefa, with friends like these …
Hungary Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto: "Thank God that in the circles of European football leadership common sense still prevails and they did not play along with the political provocation. UEFA made the right decision..."
— Simon Evans (@sgevans) June 22, 2021
Reuters is reporting that the EU’s leading health lawmaker wants the final to be switched from London due to the UK’s rise in Covid cases:
“The final of the Euro 2020 football tournament should not be played in London due to safety concerns over the faster spread of the coronavirus in Britain, the European Union’s top lawmaker on health issues said on Tuesday.
On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called for the match to be moved from England due to rising Covid-19 cases there, but European soccer’s governing body Uefa said it had no plans to replace Wembley as the host stadium for the semi-finals and final.
However, the pressure on UEFA is continuing. “Our health is priority. The spread of the Delta variant makes it impossible for 40,000 spectators to view the final match in London’s stadium,” Peter Liese said in a statement on Tuesday.”
Updated
Looking ahead to tomorrow, France v Portugal leaps out as the most intriguing, particularly after both suffered varying levels of mishap in their second matches. Andy Hunter in Budapest writes on the pressure facing the holders’ coach, Fernando Santos, after that defeat by Germany:
A colleague writes …
Hungary and Orban being the fall-back option for the final has nothing to do with this. https://t.co/B5faPZ9M94
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) June 22, 2021
Musical interlude: here’s Germany going a bit David Brent: ‘Go and get the guitar …’
Yes, times are tough, but here is the Deutsche Nationalmannschaft playing 4 Non Blondes „What‘s up“ pic.twitter.com/XtOLcvcf2L
— Jenni Wu (@callmeuschi) June 21, 2021
Also on the subject of Hungary, there’s been much chatter about the large crowds allowed in Budapest while most other venues are around a quarter full. This from AP offers some interesting background, about Hungary’s Covid immunity cards, and how the success of the country’s vaccination programme is undercut by fears about how the cards might be used by an authoritarian government:
Tens of thousands of soccer fans packed the Puskas Arena in Budapest last week to attend Euro 2020 matches. It was the first full-house international soccer event in Europe in more than a year — made possible largely by Hungary’s adoption of government-issued immunity cards.
The only one of the tournament’s 10 host countries to allow full crowds in stadiums, Hungary has conducted one of Europe’s most successful COVID-19 vaccination drives. The immunity cards attest that their bearers have received at least one vaccine dose or recovered from COVID-19, and allow them access to sports events as well as to services and venues such as hotels, spas, concerts, theaters and indoor restaurant dining.
Yet while the cards have allowed many to regain many aspects of pre-pandemic life, others worry that their use could impact fundamental rights. “There was a lot of anxiety in society on potential discrimination,” said David Vig, director of rights group Amnesty International Hungary. “(The government) said, There will be a distinction between people: Those who have the vaccination card, and those who do not.’”
Hungary’s procurement of vaccines from Russia and China, as well as through the European Union, quickly gave it the second highest vaccination rate in the 27-member bloc after Malta. More than 66% of adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
But in recent weeks, as most of those willing to be vaccinated have already got a jab, the pace of vaccination has slowed dramatically. Government figures show that some 2 million people still do not have an immunity card, which restricts them from many opportunities available to cardholders.
These continued restrictions for the unvaccinated underlie the government’s strategy of providing incentives for inoculation, Vig said. “The vaccination card and the strategy behind it was good from the government’s perspective. That is, it kind of pushed people towards vaccination,” he said.
But in a statement in April, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union argued that the cards discriminate against those who “due to their state of health, cannot be vaccinated temporarily or permanently,” such as women in certain stages of pregnancy, or those with chronic conditions that make vaccination inadvisable.
Those people, and others who could not complete the mandatory online vaccine registration for lack of internet access, face discrimination, the group argued.
While more than 60,000 fans were permitted into the Puskas Arena last week for Euro 2020 matches, Hungary’s government has continued to limit other public events such as protests for those without immunity cards, citing pandemic concerns.
Some comment from below the line, from randomandy947, about that Uefa rainbow lights ban:
Sigh. Say it again people, being gay is not political. Existing as a gay person is not political. Acknowledging that gay people exist and deserve equal treatment is not a political act any more than doing the same for a straight person is. It a moral issue not a political one. If one thinks it is a political issue then maybe it is because they lack morals.
Alas we live in an age when things get deemed ‘political’ as and when it suits, with no consistency at all. (FWIW, I’d argue that all sport is inherently political, in that like all areas of popular culture it’s a reflection of the societies that produce it, and that that’s part of what makes it interesting, but your broader point is correct. It’s a pretty squalid decision from Uefa)
Updated
Meanwhile, an update from Ethics Copa América, in Brazil, where Argentina have reached the knockout stages after squeezing past Paraguay.
And Jonathan Liew has dedicated his Big Paper column to the ongoing glory of late-period Lionel Messi, who’s been in fine form in the tournament.
And talking of Wales, here’s our man in Rome – the lucky bleeder – on Danny Ward, who’s been one of the best goalkeepers on view in these Euros but can’t get a game with his club. Contains some remarkable stats about just how little domestic gametime a lot of the Wales squad got last season:
“I’d like to start a discussion,” chirps Duncan Watanabe. “Having watched Wales play with enthusiasm, read about Ramsey hiring his own physio specifically for the Euros and listened to tales of enthusiastic, supportive and uncritical Welsh followers, I have developed a theory that playing for Wales must be so much more enjoyable than playing for England. I have a suspicion that the Welsh players feel loved and that these positive vibes create highly motivated players willing to give that little bit extra. Could Wales go further than England again and who would you rather play for?”
As someone eligible for both, what I’d do is string both countries along with a stream of teasing agent-briefings over a period of months before tossing a coin. A more obvious answer is that Wales haven’t got a backstory of being crushed by the burden of expectation, but I think their fan culture - boisterous but friendly, not too entitled or taking it that seriously - helps. That said, this England team, for all its endlessly picked-over faults, is more grounded and balanced than many of its predecessors. And I suspect may go further than Wales this time – momentum is with Denmark and that’s going to be a hell of a tricky tie.
Uefa will not allow rainbow display at Germany v Hungary
The planned ‘rainbow illumination’ of Munich’s stadium tomorrow, in response to homophobic legislation in Hungary, has been deemed too political by European football’s impeccably neutral overlords. This from PA Media:
Uefa has declined a request to illuminate the Euro 2020 stadium in Munich in rainbow colours for the Germany v Hungary match because it believes the gesture has a political context.
European football’s governing body said it received the request from the mayor of the German city, Dieter Reiter, on Monday.
Uefa said that the mayor’s reason for the request was a response to legislation passed in Hungary banning gay people from appearing in school educational materials or programmes for under-18s.
On that basis, Uefa said it could not grant the request and proposed alternative dates for the stadium to be lit up in rainbow colours.
“Racism, homophobia, sexism, and all forms of discrimination are a stain on our societies - and represent one of the biggest problems faced by the game today,” a statement from Uefa read.
“Discriminatory behaviour has marred both matches themselves and, outside the stadiums, the online discourse around the sport we love.
“However Uefa, through its statutes, is a politically and religiously neutral organisation. Given the political context of this specific request – a message aiming at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament – Uefa must decline this request.”
Updated
And so to tonight’s proceedings, which have been heavily overshadowed by Billy Gilmour’s positive Covid test, the knock-on effects for Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount (and others), and how it might impact the rest of the group. We can only hope there are no further positive tests and that Gilmour is back up and in action when possible. Ewan Murray discusses Scotland’s prospects against Croatia here, and the need for a goal that their performances have needed and deserved, while David Hytner reports from the England camp, with Mount and Chilwell doubtful for the game against the Czech Republic.
As for the football, England, as in 2018, go into their final group game with qualification ensured and a debate raging about whether it’s better to finish second and avoid a perilous section of the draw. Unlike then, there’s less clamour to rotate and experiment, and much more on the need to determine, and get a tune out of, England’s best XI. Gareth Southgate says England need to excite the crowd after Friday’s boos.
And here’s Barney Ronay’s pre-match thinkpiece on England’s need to unshackle themselves in the here and now:
Updated
Preamble
Morning everyone, and welcome to day 12 of Euro 2020, which brings us games of varying significance for England and Scotland. But enough of that for now; we must start by talking about last night, particularly the match in Copenhagen where Denmark, on a tide of Christian Eriksen-fuelled emotion and gleefully launched plastic pint glasses, eviscerated Russia with a thrilling attacking display to reach the knockout stages. Their second-round opponents in Amsterdam will be Wales, and in normal circumstances you’d bank on this game to produce the best atmosphere of the tournament, but restrictions on visiting fans look to have put paid to that (and sparked a clamour in certain quarters for a venue-swap with Italy v Austria at Wembley).
Denmark’s sparkling display also illustrated another notable feature of this tournament so far: that it’s being bossed by players at mid-ranking Italian clubs. Add Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria) and Joakim Mæhle (Atalanta) to a best-of list that might also contain Robin Gosens (Atalanta), Domenico Berardi and Manuel Locatelli (both Sassuolo). So in summary then, stuff yer Superleague.
So there’s loads to discuss before we even get on to England and Scotland and Covid and other points of general angst. To start off your day, pour the latest Euro 2020 Daily into your ears, as Max and the pod discuss the Netherlands’ winning form, Denmark’s fairytale and more.
