EURO 2020 is rolling on at pace as we reach the knockout stages!And it’s old rivals Germany up next for England in what should be a thrilling Last 16 tie at Wembley.
France and Portugal have qualified too, while heartbroken Hungary are out
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MORE FROM RASHFORD
And Rashford admits he has been unable to produce his best form in recent months.
He said: “Obviously I am not performing at my best, and what I know I can perform to.
“Whatever that is down to, it doesn’t really matter because it has been going on since early on in the season.
“I managed to get through the season with United. I think I had 36 goal involvements so I can’t look back at the year and say ‘mmm, I should have taken time off to do this and do that.’
“I just want to be available for every game.”
RASH DECISION
Marcus Rashford could face shoulder surgery after the Euros, making him a doubt for the start of Manchester United’s Premier League campaign.
Rashford has played through pain to ensure his place in England’s squad for the Euros.
And asked whether he needed an operation, Man Utd ace Rashford, 23, said: “I have to decide after – it’s either an operation or I don’t get an operation on my shoulder.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure if I need it yet. I’ll finish strongly here and like I said I’ve got a few weeks off to just relax and decide what I’m going to do.
“The doctors have not said how long I’d be out for.
“The reason I don’t know is that when the season was going, and before I came here (with England), I knew there was no chance I was going to be getting the operation so I did not know how long the operation would put me out for.
“I am fully concentrated on here (England). When the tournament is finished then I will ask the question.
“But to get to this stage where I am now, it was a massive aim of mine back at the beginning of the season. I’m prepared mentally and physically for games.”
MORE FROM STERLING
The City winger is unfazed by the prospect of renewing the historic rivalry with Germany next Tuesday at Wembley.
Sterling, who has never played against the Germans before, told the Lions’ Den show: “Those games were crazy. The France one was high quality throughout, both teams.
“We knew we were going to get second place in that group and we knew that it was going to be a challenge. In this tournament you need these challenges.
“We need now to go against Germany and we need a big performance. If you’re going to win this tournament, if you’re going to be in with a shout
“You’ve got to put in these big performances against these big sides, and that’s what we are going to try to do on Tuesday. I’m not really looking into the history, the battles.
“What has happened, has happened. All we can do us be here now and be present.”
STERLING EFFORT
Raheem Sterling says winning the Euros with England would top anything he has achieved with Manchester City.
He said: “I think winning something with the national team, England, would definitely be the greatest achievement that I could possibly do.
“I mean not me…that the team could possibly achieve. You win stuff with your clubs and it’s a great achievement, but this is on a bigger scale.
“You’re representing a nation, a country. So to achieve something with England would be the biggest thing to happen in my footballing career.”
WINGING IT
France suffered a DOUBLE injury scare on Thursday when wingers Thomas Lemar and Marcus Thuram both hobbled out of training.
The two stars both looked to be in pain during a recovery session following yesterday’s 2-2 draw with Portugal.
Tottenham transfer target Thuram, 23, looked to be visibly in pain as he fell to his knees on the training ground in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
While Atletico Madrid star Lemar, 25, was clearly distraught as he put his head in his hands while being helped off the field by two others.
Didier Deschamps now faces an anxious wait over their fitness after setting up a last-16 clash against Switzerland on Monday.
HUNGARY FOR CHANGE
Gini Wijnaldum is ready to lead Holland off the pitch if they suffer racist abuse in Budapest.
He said: “You could lose a game because of those kinds of slurs. In this case Uefa should be there to protect the players and they should make the decision.
“Players often get punished for protecting themselves so Uefa needs to take a lead role in this.
“They should be the ones to say ‘if this sort of thing happens we will cancel the game and stop playing’.
“It is not acceptable and we don’t want it. When it happened in the beginning and I started thinking about it. I think different things.
“I started to think ‘would I walk off the pitch?’ — which I might, actually.
It could be the case that I will walk off the pitch but I will speak with the players about it first.
“If such a thing happens and the referee stops the game, the players of the opposing team say ‘we are not going to take this’ and they walk off the pitch then you would feel a lot better as a player and it would make a greater statement rather than to do it alone.”
WAIST MANAGEMENT
England fans have launched a petition for Gareth Southgate to bring back his iconic waistcoat for next week’s Euro 2020 clash with Germany,
The Three Lions will take on their old foe in Tuesday’s last-16 clash at Wembley.
And supporters are eager for Southgate to slip back into his famous waistcoat after it stole the show on England’s run to the 2018 World Cup semis.
The Three Lions boss has opted for a more casual look at the Euros so far, wearing a polo shirt under a jacket.
But football fans from social enterprise notjust clothing have launched a petition for the waistcoat’s return, along releasing a waistcoat t-shirt with all profits donated to Football Beyond Borders.
A Southgate Christmas jumper raised over £50,000 for charities including NHS Charities Together, The Trussell Trust and Save The Children.
LEW BEAUTY
Arsenal are reportedly prepared to pay upwards of £50million to sign England star Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer.
The Gunners are keen to bolster their attacking options with doubts over the future of Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette, according to The Telegraph.
DCL is contracted to Everton until 2025, but it is believed the Toffees would struggle to turn down a big-money bid for the England international.
WALE TO WIN
David Brooks feels he owes Wales boss Robert Page a debt of gratitude for not turning his back on him after he played for England.
Four years ago, Brooks was at the centre of a mix-up when he was named by Page’s Dragons for the Toulon tournament before the Three Lions then called him up.
Brooks opted to play for England Under-20s, was named 2017 player of the competition and helped the Young Lions taste glory in France before recommitting to Wales.
Brooks said: “The whole start of it was kind of a big misunderstanding. I’d arranged to go away with England and everything was already planned. On the day of the announcement at the tournament, about an hour before I was getting announced with England, Wales announced their squad.
“I hadn’t been contacted, I’d never been called up before so I didn’t know anything about it and I was kind of just in the squad.
“I spoke to Pagey on the phone and said I’d already made commitments and promises that I’d go away with England. He wasn’t really phased by that so I had to thank him for not turning his back on me.”
BBC BLAST
The BBC has received 6,417 complaints after it continued broadcasting as Denmark star Christian Eriksen received emergency treatment during Euro 2020.
The 29-year-old collapsed on the pitch during his country’s first group game against Finland, leaving teammates and fans in tears.
The 6,417 complaints are significantly less in comparison to other incidents the Beeb has been involved with.
For example, the BBC confirmed it received 109,741 complaints from the public over its coverage of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
The figure made the coverage of Philip’s death the most complained-about programme in the corporation’s history.
MIK TAKER
Former Man Utd defender Mikael Silvestre has urged England boss Gareth Southgate to be more adventurous at Euro 2020.
He told Ladbrokes: “I think Gareth Southgate could be more adventurous in midfield, rather than playing two defensive midfielders, and maybe he’s just being cautious.
“There are 70 million managers in England watching from home, and even more around the world, and so it’s sometimes easy for us to talk about who should be playing.
“England have to step things up a gear moving forward in the tournament now.
“We’ve seen players like Harry Kane struggling, but you can’t put all of the responsibility on him.”
WHERE THERE’S A WIL
Jack Wilshere has named his England XI to play Germany in response to Gary Neville picking his team.
The ITV pundit wanted to see Wilshere’s team after the former Arsenal midfielder criticised his omission of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.
TOP FRIENDS
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema shared a heartwarming chat at half-time of their Euro 2020 encounter.
The former Real Madrid pals formed two-thirds of the feared BBC triumvirate at the Bernabeu, alongside Gareth Bale.
Therefore, their Group F meeting on Wednesday was a personal reunion inside a hugely-anticipated Euros clash.
At half-time and with the score one apiece, the forwards embraced and smiled as they shared a brief chat.
They then swapped shirts as they entered the tunnel in Budapest, continuing the discussion towards the dressing rooms.
SHEER CLASS
England stars were treated to a surprise live gig from pop star Ed Sheeran ahead of their crunch clash with Germany.
The Three Lions will renew their rivalry with the Germans next Tuesday in their Euro 2020 last-16 tie.
And manager Gareth Southgate lightened the mood in the camp by having Sheeran belt out a number of his hits at St George’s Park.
Sheeran’s impromptu gig took place on Wednesday, which has so far been players’ only day off during the tournament.
And according to The Daily Telegraph, Southgate’s troops were ‘thrilled’ by the outdoor acoustic concert.
The players were said to have sat around the ‘Shape of You’ star as he played a number of his hits.
Sheeran, 30, was given special permission to enter the England bubble.
FEELING WELL
The FA is reportedly deciding whether it is possible for Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell to take part in full training with the rest of the England squad.
Social distancing measures would have to be put in place as the Chelsea pair have had to self isolate since coming into close contact with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour, who test positive for Covid-19 after Friday’s draw at Wembley.
Mount and Chilwell have since trained in private at St. George’s Park, and have not come into contact with the rest of the squad.
But the FA is looking into the training methods used by clubs during project restart in 2020, according to Sky Sports.
Players were split into groups of five and trained without coming into contact, tackling was also forbidden.
Mount and Chilwell were sidelined for the 1-0 win over Czech Republic but will be available for selection against Germany on Tuesday.
But they will have to isolate until then, despite both returning negative tests after the match against Scotland.
As a result, they will not be allowed to participate in training unless the FA finds a solution.
VIRUS FEARS
England are embroiled in a coronavirus scare after a Sky Sports reporter tested positive at the training base.
The Daily Mail report how the journalist and cameraman were asked to leave St George’s Park.
The reporter is now self-isolating at a hotel, just five days before England’s crunch Round of 16 clash with Germany.
It comes after Three Lions duo Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were forced to self-isolate for 10 days after coming into close contact with Billy Gilmour.
A Sky Sports spokesperson commented: “A reporter is isolating in a hotel and awaiting the result of a PCR test.
“The camera operative tested negative and has left St George’s Park to self-isolate.”
It remains unknown whether the positive test will have any further repercussions on anybody involved within the camp.
BALE FORCE
Wales are wrapping talisman Gareth Bale in cotton wool to ensure he is fully fit to face the Danes.
Captain Bale, as well as Joe Rodon and Kieffer Moore, trained separately from Robert Page’s squad during the open section of yesterday’s (Wed) training session in Rome.
Wales fly to Amsterdam today for Saturday’s Euro 2020 last-16 tie with Denmark with Bale recovering after suffering four fouls against Italy – the most of any Welsh player.
Boss Page said: “Gareth did take a kick, a knock but he’ll be fine. There’s no need now to train him for fitness.
“Now it is all about recovery for the next game and we will protect him a little bit more than we normally would. He will be fit.”
If Page’s Wales progress to the quarter-finals they would face a return to Baku and another victory in Azerbaijan could set up a potential semi-final clash with arch rivals England at Wembley.
CLASH OF THE TITANT
England welcome Germany to Wembley on Tuesday with a place in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals at stake.
But there will also be a healthy dose of pride on offer for two nations with a long and fascinating history of footballing rivalry.
An inaugural 3-3 draw in May 1930 was a strong hint of what was to come as the first four meetings between the pair threw out 22 goals.
During this period, England’s dominance showed with seven wins in a row, including an infamous visit to Berlin in 1938, that culminated in the 1966 World Cup final.
Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick at Wembley may have had a helping hand from a potentially dubious goalline decision (more of that later) but etched his name into English folklore.
To this day, that 4-2 win at Wembley marks the Three Lions’ only World Cup triumph.
LOW AND BEHOLD
England will face old foes Germany for the first time since 2017 in their crunch Euro 2020 last-16 clash.
The Three Lions take on Die Mannschaft on Tuesday at Wembley after Joachim Low’s side scraped second spot in their group.
It has been just under four years since the pair last met, battling out an underwhelming 0-0 draw at the home of football.
Boss Gareth Southgate picked England’s most inexperienced side since 1980 for the friendly as he looked to cast an eye over a number of names.
Here’a how that starting XI looked.
WINNING FORMULA?
Gary Neville has revealed his England side to play Germany which includes a formation switch.
The Manchester United legend, who was England’s assistant coach from 2012-2016, gave his tactical verdict on Twitter.
With the Three Lions set to play arch rivals Germany in the Euros last 16 at Wembley next Tuesday, Neville selected a defensive 5-2-3 formation.
It would match-up with Germany’s set-up, with Joachim Low having also opted for a three-man central defence in the tournament.
Here’s how it looks.
Gary Neville’s England side to play Germany
GREAT DANE
Denmark pulled off a remarkable result against Russia on Monday to keep their Euro 2020 dream alive – but it wasn’t anywhere near as heroic as this fan’s efforts to carry a mountain of beer.
A 4-1 victory over the Russians booked the Danes a place in the last-16 of the tournament.
But instead of marveling at Andreas Christensen’s stunner, footy fans across the world are now in awe of an unidentified Danish fan carrying a huge stack of beer.
Two days after the match, footage of a man carrying 12 – yes 12 – pints of beer started doing the rounds on social media.
And to top it off, he had a hotdog sandwiched between the top row of beer.
The beer-loving bloke – who was rocking a Denmark cowboy hat – expertly made his way up the stairs at the Parken Stadium without spilling a single drop of the amber nectar.
The Danish fan made his way through the crowd with a whopping 12 beers in hand
WALE TO WIN
David Brooks feels he owes Wales boss Robert Page a debt of gratitude for not turning his back on him after he played for England.
Four years ago, Brooks was at the centre of a mix-up when he was named by Page’s Dragons for the Toulon tournament before the Three Lions then called him up.
Brooks opted to play for England Under-20s, was named 2017 player of the competition and helped the Young Lions taste glory in France before recommitting to Wales.
Brooks said: “The whole start of it was kind of a big misunderstanding. I’d arranged to go away with England and everything was already planned. On the day of the announcement at the tournament, about an hour before I was getting announced with England, Wales announced their squad.
“I hadn’t been contacted, I’d never been called up before so I didn’t know anything about it and I was kind of just in the squad.
“I spoke to Pagey on the phone and said I’d already made commitments and promises that I’d go away with England. He wasn’t really phased by that so I had to thank him for not turning his back on me.”
MIK TAKER
Former Man Utd and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre has urged England boss Gareth Southgate to be more adventurous at Euro 2020.
He told Ladbrokes: “I think Gareth Southgate could be more adventurous in midfield, rather than playing two defensive midfielders, and maybe he’s just being cautious.
“There are 70 million managers in England watching from home, and even more around the world, and so it’s sometimes easy for us to talk about who should be playing.
“England have to step things up a gear moving forward in the tournament now.
“We’ve seen players like Harry Kane struggling, but you can’t put all of the responsibility on him.”
SACRE BLEU
Cristiano Ronaldo may have equalled Ali Daei’s international record… but French publication L’Equipe were still far from impressed.
The Portugal superstar scored twice from the spot in a hugely entertaining 2-2 draw with rivals France.
It took his international tally to 109 – meaning he is just one goal away from beating Iranian legend Daei’s all-time feat.
Ronaldo is also now surging ahead in the race for the Euro 2020 Golden Boot with five from his opening three matches.
Despite his achievements, L’Equipe still handed Ronaldo a measly six in their notoriously tough player ratings.
The publication are renowned for their brutal rating system with a perfect 10 rating being dished out just 12 times.
L’Equipe gave Cristiano Ronaldo a six rating for his performance against France
COULD BE KIE
Gareth Southgate looks prime to bring Kieran Trippier back into the starting XI to face the Germans after being benched against Scotland and Czech Republic.
According to the Daily Mail. Southgate is keen to start him as he believes his dead-ball quality could prove key next Tuesday,
Nine of England’s 12 goals at the World Cup 2018 came from set-pieces but they have yet to take advantage during the Euros.
Southgate said: “Our delivery hasn’t been good, really.
“There was the one where John Stones hit the post (against Scotland) which was bang on the money and Trippier’s delivery in the first game was excellent, but we haven’t matched that since.
“It’s quite rare for us. We have gone four or five matches without a set-piece goal and that’s an area where we can improve upon.”
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