EURO 2020 is rolling on at pace as we reach the conclusion of the group stages!
England, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Netherlands, Wales and Denmark are all through to the knockout rounds.
While all eyes will be on Scotland tonight as they face Croatia in a must-win clash to have any hope of advancing.
England – who face Czech Republic tonight – will have to do with Chelsea stars Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell.
Both players will have to self-isolate until June 28, having come into contact with club team-mate Billy Gilmour after the Three Lions’ draw with Scotland on Friday night.
Gilmour, who won man of the match for his stunning performance at Wembley, has since tested positive for coronavirus following the game.
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Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
PLAN OF ATTACK
England legend Gary Lineker has urged the Three Lions to win their Euros group and not be ‘so bloody cautious’.
He tweeted: “Lot of rubbish about whether England better off losing for easier last 16 game.
“You play to win every game. Winning gives confidence.
“If you’re scared of playing France/Germany you’ve got no chance of winning the tournament anyway.
“Let’s stop being so bloody cautious. Attack!”
COVID SHOCK
England have been so cautious about the threat of Covid-19 ripping through their squad they Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell into quarantine in the back of an ambulances.
Mount and Chilwell have been forced to isolate for ten days after coming into close contact with Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour.
Once Public Health England confirmed them as being in contact, Mount and Chilwell were immediately told they needed to isolate until Monday 28 June.
They were then ordered to leave England’s West London hotel and return to St George’s Park to quarantine.
And it is understood that rather than ferry them back up north in the back of one of their fleet of cars, it was decided the only way they could guarantee security was to use two separate ambulances.
JOSE’S PREDICTED XI
SunSport’s very own Special One is urging Gareth Southgate to pick Jack Grealish tonight.
Jose Mourinho believes the England ace can unlock Czech Republic’s stubborn defence.
And he also believes Jude Bellingham deserves a start in midfield.
BOWLED OVER
England stars were given a tour of Lord’s Cricket Ground before their Euros encounter with Czech Republic.
Harry Kane and Co were given the VIP treatment at the famous London venue as they relaxed before the big game.
Pictures show the close-knit group on the Lord’s pitch soaking up the surroundings.
It may not have been some players’ idea of entertainment but boss Gareth Southgate appeared to be in his element while locked in a conversation with a senior official.
Harry Kane and Co were given the opportunity to stretch their legsCredit: Jane Greener/The Sun BREAKING: CHILWELL BREAKS SILENCE
Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell – who has been bizarrely forced to isolate after coming into contact with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour and has since returned a negative test – breaks his silence on Twitter.
And it’s a message of support for his team-mates as they go into battle against the Czech Republic tonight.
He said on Twitter: ” It’s a tough one to take and I’m gutted but I wanted 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!”
Someone Chilwell works closely with, Chelsea legend Petr Cech, slammed the decision to make both Mason Mount and Chilwell Isolate despite returning negative tests.
On Instagram, Cech said: “Please could someone help me understand how it is possible Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell – both with negative tests – have to isolate after they got into contact with Billy Gilmour while the entire Scottish team who shared the dressing room, hotel, coach and plane while travelling, dining room, meeting room is allowed to play the game without any problem because they returned the required negative test?
“What is the difference between them returning the same test results? It is incomprehensible…”
BREAKING: 60,000 PERMITTED FOR SEMIS AND FINAL AT WEMBLEY
The Government has announced that more than 60,000 football fans will be permitted to attend both semi-finals and the final at Wembley!
Credit: REUTERS ON BLAST
Chelsea legend Petr Cech has questioned the decision to make both Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell Isolate after coming into contact with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour.
Both returned negative tests, but have to remain in isolation until Monday June 28, ultimately missing tonight’s game against the Czech Republic.
On Instagram, Cech said: “Please could someone help me understand how it is possible Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell – both with negative tests – have to isolate after they got into contact with Billy Gilmour while the entire Scottish team who shared the dressing room, hotel, coach and plane while travelling, dining room, meeting room is allowed to play the game without any problem because they returned the required negative test?
“What is the difference between them returning the same test results? It is incomprehensible…”
MAGUIRE TO START
Harry Maguire is expected to start tonight in place of Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein says boss Gareth Southgate wants to give the Man Utd captain some minutes before the knockout stages.
Ornstein also says that Jack Grealish is set to start, presumably in place of Mason Mount.
Kevin de Bruyne believes he has a psychic understanding with Romelu Lukaku, writes NEIL CUSTIS.
It’s one that now threatens to lay waste to all that come before Belgium in Euro 2020.
Manchester City star De Bruyne set Lukaku up for one that was ruled out for offside by incheas and then another that needed no checks in a 2-0 win over Finland.
And De Bruyne said: “It is very easy for me to find him when he is in the box.
“I know exactly where he is, exactly how to find him.
“It is very, very difficult for defenders to get in front of him, he is so huge.
“He has great control of the ball and when he shoots there is a high probability he will find the back of the net.”
IT’S COMING HOME
Third and final group game for England!
OWEN’S TWEET RATIOED BY TOMLINSON
One Direction star Louis Tomlinson believes confidence and momentum is more important.
Whereas. for some reason, former England player Michael Owen thinks if the score is level come minute 60, play for the draw…….. WHAT!
MOUR PLEASE
Jose Mourinho thinks Bruno Fernandes has gone missing for Portugal and wants more from the Manchester United star, writes SUNNI UPAL.
Ex-Red Devils boss Mourinho said the 26-year-old ‘was not there’ in the first two matches against Hungary and Germany.
And Mourinho, who is writing for The Sun this summer, wants the Red Devils creative genius to show up in Portugal’s huge clash with France on Wednesday.
He said on talkSPORT: “Portugal at its highest level can beat anyone.
“But we need to play with eleven players, in these two matches Bruno Fernandes was on the pitch but not playing.
“I hope he turns up against France, because he’s a player with incredible potential.
“He can pass, he can score. He can get penalties, he can score penalties, he can score free-kicks.
“He has a lot to give, but the reality is in these two matches he was not there.”
SOUTHGATE BACKS KANE
Gareth Southgate has backed his England captain Harry Kane ahead of tonight’s game against the Czech Republic.
Speaking to the press on Monday night, he said: “He’s been our best player, our most influential and our most important player for a long period of time.
“Of course there have been moments when others, like Raheem [Sterling], have been critical for us in terms of goals but Harry has consistently been our best goal scorer.
“His record since we’ve been in charge is phenomenal and he’s a hugely important figure for us.”
ATTACK
England legend Gary Lineker has called on the Three Lions to ‘play to win’.
The former footballer turned pundit also said: “If you’re scared of playing France/Germany you’ve got no chance of winning the tournament anyway.”
THREE LIONS
In the last game, Southgate shaped up with a 4-2-3-1 against Scotland.
Pickford; James, Stones, Mings, Shaw; Rice, Phillips; Mount, Foden, Sterling; Kane.
How many changes do you think Southgate will make tonight?
Main man Mount is out for tonight’s game isolating after coming into close contact with Scotland’s Gilmour last Friday – so there’s one already!
Credit: PA
ROAD TO WEMBLEY
England are into the knockout stages of Euro 2020, but it’s who we face that matters!
GIL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
England are smarting after Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were forced into isolation, writes SAM STREET.
The pair were pinged as close contacts by Public Health England after Scotland’s Billy Gilmour tested positive for Coronavirus.
Yet none of Gilmour’s Scotland team-mates have been asked to isolate ahead of their final game with Croatia.
Ironically, English regulations have saved Scotland from self-isolation while punishing the Three Lions.
The reason no Scotland players have to isolate is because Public Health England have not identified any of them as “close contacts” to Gilmour.
According to NHS England, a close contact means “close face-to-face contact” (under one metre) for any length of time, including talking to somebody or coughing towards them.
Close contact can also mean being within two metres of somebody for more than 15 minutes or travelling in a small vehicle with them.
After Public Health England reviewed footage of Mount, Chilwell and Gilmour from the Wembley tunnel after England and Scotland played out a 0-0 draw, they found the three players had been in conversation for 22 minutes.
TEAM NEWS: CROATIA VS SCOTLAND
Croatia are waiting to see if Rangers’ left-back Borna Barisic will be available after missing his side’s first two games due to a back injury, writes SANDRA BROBBEY.
Meanwhile it is thought Scotland could look to bring Scott McTominay back into midfield to replace Gilmour and draft Liam Cooper or Jack Hendry in defence.
Other midfield options include Stuart Armstrong who put in a decent shift against England alongside Che Adams after coming on as a second-half sub.
And Croatia’s Mateo Kovacic, Dejan Lovren, Marcelo Brozovic, and Duje Caleta-Car could also miss out on a last-16 clash if they pick up cautions.
Scotland duo McGinn and O’Donnell (Scotland) will be suspended if they are booked.
JACK ‘N THRILL
Jose Mourinho has called on England manager Gareth Southgate to start Jack Grealish.
In an exclusive with The Sun, Mourinho said: “England look like a shy team, so they need Jack Grealish against the Czech Republic tonight.
“He looks like he has always been on that stage.
“The guy is brave. The guy never played a European match for his club but he arrives in the national team and is fearless.
“He risks. He gambles. He loses the ball. He creates. He kicks people. People kick him. He creates instability in opponents.
“And he wins free-kicks.
“You win free-kicks in wide areas then you go with Harry Maguire or Tyrone Mings or John Stones and Harry Kane — and England are powerful on set-pieces.
“England looked a shy team against Scotland because they were a team without that thing that Grealish has.
“I don’t like comparing players — and Luis Figo was at a different level — but Grealish is like Figo in that he’ll demand the ball.
CZECH MATE
West Ham’s Declan Rice will collide with club team-mates Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal when England host the Czech Republic tonight.
Rice and Soucek have formed a formidable partnership for West Ham in the heart of their midfield.
The England international, Rice, sits and protects the back four or five depending on David Moyes’ set-up.
And Soucek gets forward into the opposition penalty area and wreaks havoc.
The towering Czech midfielder scored an impressive ten non-penalty league goals from defensive midfield last season, helping West Ham qualify for the Europa League.
To put that into context, that’s more non-penalty goals than Man Utd’s Bruno Fernandes (9).
Coufal also had a fine campaign for West Ham, proving hard to beat in defence and chipped in with seven assists in the league.
The right-back also provided the assist for Patrik Schick’s opener against Scotland.
The Czech pair have a message for their team-mate Rice!
TEAM NEWS: ENGLAND VS CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Republic don’t have any injury concerns to worry about and will come into the game fresh, ready and raring to go.
Patrik Schick is set to start again while Alex Kral could play in midfield for the Czechs.
Jack Grealish may finally get his start for England but don’t be surprised to see Gareth Southgate stick with the same front four.
Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire could also feature for the Three Lions, having both recovered from injury.
HEALTH CZECH
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell have been placed into ten-day isolation – meaning they will miss tonight’s clash with Czech Republic AND likely England’s last-16 game, writes DUNCAN WRIGHT.
The Chelsea pair have been deemed to be close contacts of Scotland star Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for Covid-19.
The FA say they have taken the advice of Public Health England but this morning were left with no choice but to send them back to St George’s Park.
Though the entire Scotland squad has been cleared to continue playing, the FA were pointed to strict PHE guidelines which state if a person has close contact for more than 15 minutes, then they have to isolate.
It was deemed the conversation Mount and Chilwell had with Gilmour in the tunnel after Friday’s Group D draw was enough to enact those guidelines.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
