The Italian Prime Minister has suggested that the Euro 2020 final should be held in Rome and not Wembley as new UK Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the UK.
Asked by reporters in Berlin if he was in favour of moving the prestigious game, Mario Draghi said: “Yes … I will try to stop the final being held in a country where infections are rising quickly.”
But Gabriele Gravina, the president of the country’s football federation, “categorically” denied that he was looking to move the match.
Italy reported 21 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday against 17 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 495 from 881.
The UK reported five more deaths within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus and 10,633 new cases.
England’s hopes of making it to the final have suffered a setback after isolating Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell face missing the Czech Republic clash.
The Scottish Football Association announced on Monday morning that the 20-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour had tested positive for Covid-19 and would miss Tuesday’s crunch Group D encounter with Croatia.
Gilmour helped boost Scotland’s qualification hopes with a man-of-the-match display in Friday’s hard-fought 0-0 draw at Wembley, where he interacted with Chelsea team-mates Mount and Chilwell.
The England pair are now having to isolate on the eve of Tuesday’s game against the Czech Republic as a precaution following consultation with Public Health England, with discussions about the situation ongoing.
