EURO 2020 is in full swing as the group stage nears completion.But it’s been a tumultuous few days for France, with Ousmane Dembele ruled out of the tournament after getting injured in their 1-1 draw with Hungary.
And the Hungarians are under investigated by Uefa following reports of monkey chants towards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
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Follow all of the latest news, build up and updates below…
STILL NOT BLUE
Cesar Azpilicueta hopes Spain can do a Chelsea by turning their dreadful campaign around to become kings of Europe.
La Roja must win their final Group E crunch against Slovakia here tomorrow to guarantee their place in the last 16.
Yet they have already been written off by many – including a large number of their own fans – after drawing both of their opening two games at home to Sweden and Poland.
It is the first time Spain have failed to win either of their two opening matches at a Euros since 1996.
That has left them third in their table and facing an embarrassing early exit.
But Stamford Bridge ace Azpi is urging his country to take heart from his club after helping them to Champions League glory last month.
He said: “Many people thought the same during the season with Chelsea. Many thought we were dead during the season.
“You learn from that, that’s the lesson, you have to keep fighting until the final.
“We have a very clear objective and we are not going to give up.”
Azpilicueta delivered his country’s much-needed rally cry at their Madrid training camp yesterday.
When it was pointed out to him that three-times winners Spain were no longer favourites to progress to the next stage let alone lift the trophy, the defender snapped: “Favourites? Portugal were not favourites in 2016 and they won it. We have advanced to the latter stages of tournaments after difficult starts. Now we have a chance to get through.
“If we win we will be in the last 16 and we have a challenge. Nobody wins the Euros before you start. It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish.
“I experienced that this year in the Champions League. This team has the potential to face up to this challenge
“Of course we know we have to improve things. The Slovakia game is like a knockout game.
“I am convinced that if we are all together, including the fans, we will go through.”
Spain stars were booed off by their own followers after their opening stalemate with Sweden on Monday and their 1-1 draw with Poland on Saturday.
Azpilicueta admitted: “We are the first to say that we would love to be closer to the fans. We have always thanked the fans for their support from the pitch.
“Because of the Covid we have been further away but the link between us and the fans is there and we know that we have to give the fans something back now.”
Asked if he had a message for the fans, he said: “To give messages out here matters little. We have to give them out on the pitch.
“What is unnegotiable is the strength and attitude. I hope that when the match finishes on Wednesday we are all happy.”
Azpilicueta, 28, is yet to kick a ball at this tournament, with Spain boss Luis Enrique preferring to play Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente at right-back.
The Blues defender said: “I came here with the objective of supporting the team the best that I could.
“I prepare myself to the best of my ability, so that I am ready to play, just like everyone does.
“We have a staff who decide what the team is and I have been supporting the team from the bench.
“Marcos is playing at an incredible level. He can play in many positions and he is in great form. From my position I try to help him.
“The 24 players train to play but the manager picks the team. We all have the desire to play. I can only train better”
KANE DO THAT
Tottenham are set to reject Manchester City’s whopping £100million offer for England star striker Harry Kane.
City are determined to sign Kane in the summer and are even willing to swap a few players, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Aymeric Laporte already linked with a move to north London.
According to The Guardian, however, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is determined to keep the Three Lions captain, who has three years left in his contract.
Kane has informed the north Londoners he wishes to leave in the summer transfer window and has also been linked with Chelsea as well as Manchester United
EURO STARS
Gareth Southgate is set to stick with what he knows when England play Czech Republic tomorrow.
Despite calls for Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho to be involved, Southgate is instead likely to keep faith with the same group that drew 0-0 with Scotland and barely beat Croatia 1-0.
Indeed, the only changes that are set to be made are full-backs Luke Shaw and Reece James dropping out for Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker again.
CITIZEN KANE
Man City have launched a £100MILLION cash bid for Tottenham striker and England captain Harry Kane, according to reports.
It is believed the Premier League champions are willing to include one or more players in the deal, including Raheem Sterling.
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, City have offered Spurs £100m ‘guaranteed’ for Kane, 27.
City are also reportedly willing to include players in the deal, with Sterling, Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus among those rumoured.
It is understood Tottenham chief Daniel Levy will not accept City’s offer – and Kane’s future will not be decided until after Euro 2020.
GAME DAY
There’s four games going on today from both Group B and Group C.
Both Group C games will be kicking off at 5pm, with Ukraine playing Austria and North Macedonia playing the Netherlands.
Monday, June 21 2021 – Ukraine vs Austria – 5pm kick-off – National Arena – Bucharest, Romania
Monday June 21 2021 – North Macedonia vs Netherlands – 5pm kick-off – Amsterdam ArenA – Amsterdam, Netherlands
And both Group B games will be kicking off at 8pm, with Russia taking on Denmark and Finland playing Belgium.
Monday, June 21 2021 – Russia vs Denmark – 8pm kick-off – Parken Stadium – Copenhagen, Denmark
Monday, June 21 2021 – Finland vs Belgium – 8pm kick-off – Krestovsky Stadium – Saint Petersburg, Russia
And here at SunSport we’re covering the games so make sure to keep an eye out for all the latest updates from all four games!
BIG GAME
Harry Kane is looking forward to tomorrow’s game against group leaders Czech Republic!
ONE TO WATCH
Italian defender has revealed that he enjoys watching tricky Man Utd defender Dan James.
Chiellini, who missed yesterday’s game, revealed before kick-off in an interview that James is someone he likes to watch.
Speaking to ITV, he said: “I love Aaron Ramsey, we play together, he’s a fantastic player, a little bit unlucky with many injuries,” the veteran told ITV.
“But when he is fit, he is an intelligent and fantastic player.
“Bale… He is known by everyone.
“Also, I like very much James, he has grown up so much at Manchester United.”
NETHERLANDS TEAM GUIDE
Memphis opened his Euros account in the last game against Austria!
And powerhouse right-back Dumfries got on the scoresheet for the second consecutive game.
The Netherlands face North Macedonia TONIGHT!
HAIR TO THE THRONE
England’s stars have promised to copy Phil Foden’s Gazza-inspired blonde haircut if they win Euro 2020, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.
It was 25 years ago when Paul Gascoigne scored one of England’s most memorable goals against Scotland in the country’s epic run to the Euro 96 semi-finals.
The 21-year-old Manchester City star drew comparisons with the Three Lions legend when he dyed his hair before this summer’s tournament.
Following the opening day 1-0 win over Croatia, Foden maintained the look for Friday’s frustrating stalemate against the Tartan Army at Wembley.
Now Foden has revealed the England squad will copy his blonde cut if they end their 55-year wait for a major trophy.
He told talkSPORT: “I told the team that if we win it they have to get the same haircut as me and they all agreed.
“Hopefully if we win it you will see everyone with the same haircut, I think Romania did it so I would make everyone, which would be funny.
“To be honest, it was my own thing and then I saw people turn it into something else and I jumped on it like everyone else would.
“I decided to change it up and called the barber and I’ve liked it ever since.
“I had another cut the other day to make it lighter.”
MAGIC WAND
Will Yarmolenko wave his magic wand of a left foot and fire Ukraine into the knockout stages?
TEAM NEWS: UKRAINE VS AUSTRIA
Austria’s talisman Marko Arnautovic is back after serving a one-match ban for his controversial goal celebration against North Macedonia, writes THOMAS BLOW.
Foda is expected to go with a full strength side, although David Alaba, Daniel Bachmann and Stefan Lainer are all a yellow card away from a ban.
Ukraine stars Mykola Shaparenko and Serhiy Sydorchuk are also at risk of suspension, but Shevchenko must treat the game as a knock-out and pick his strongest team.
LIFE WITH ENGLAND
Raheem Sterling is enjoying his time away with England and has ‘enjoying’ his football.
He said: “It is just happiness, just being happy, enjoying my football and that is what I am doing being here with the national team.
“If you’re not playing, you’re not happy.
“That’s me, that’s been me since I was a kid, if I’m playing football I am really happy, if I’m not I’m not happy.”
BREAKING: GILMOUR TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
Just days after his Man of the Match performance against England at Wembley, midfielder Billy Gilmour has tested positive for COVID-19.
And he will have to self-isolate for ten days, ultimately missing the crucial Group D match against Croatia.
We can confirm that Billy Gilmour has tested positive for COVID-19.Having liaised with Public Health England, Billy will now self-isolate for 10 days and therefore miss tomorrow’s UEFA EURO 2020 Group D match against Croatia at Hampden.https://t.co/lRNWvckqCK— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 21, 2021
ROUTE TO THE FINAL
England are sat second in the group, level on points with the Czech Republic – but behind on goal difference.
Qualification for the knockout stages looks a real possibility for Gareth Southgate’s side.
COURTOIS’ THOUGHTS
Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois sees winning the group as ‘prestigious’.
He said: “It’s prestigious to win the group, so that is something we are definitely going for.
“Sure, the next phase might be easier if you’re not the group winner, but in football there can always be surprises.
“At the World Cup we seemed to have a tougher time against Japan than against Brazil.
“You can’t try to calculate these things, you just always have to play to win.”
TEAM NEWS: RUSSIA VS DENMARK
Both teams are expected to play their strongest teams as they search for three points, writes THOMAS BLOW.
Eriksen is the only absentee from either squad, although there are six players at risk of picking up a one-match ban.
Russian stars Dmitri Barinov, Georgi Dzhikiya and Magomed Ozdoyev and Danish regulars Mikkel Damsgaard, Mathias Jensen and Daniel Wass will miss the next round if they recieve a booking.
FINLAND TEAM GUIDE
Finland need to get something out of tonight’s game against Belgium to stand a chance of progressing into the Round of 16.
ROCK SOLID
Luke Shaw is the strongest player in the England squad, according to team-mate Reece James.
In an interview with the FA’s Lion’s Den YouTube channel, James was asked who would win in a strength test.
And it appears that the Man Utd left-back is stronger than he looks.
James said: “Luke Shaw is strong. They (Mings, Maguire) are definitely strong but Luke is a beast, a brick.
“If there’s one guy I play against that I know is going to be strong, it’d definitely be him.”
FERDINAND BACKS STERLING
Man Utd and England legend Rio Ferdinand has backed Raheem Sterling to shine at Euro 2020.
In his BBC column, he said: “I’ve got to know Raheem Sterling pretty well in the past few months and I speak to him quite a lot.
“He’s a good guy and an impressive person, as well as an excellent player.
“I’m proud of who he’s become off the pitch, and you have to admire how he’s always worked so hard and looked at ways he can improve on it.
“I get the sense that playing for England this summer can be a bit of a release for him after a difficult end to his club season, and he 100% would have felt like that after his winning goal against Croatia.
“This is me and I am back now’ are the kind of emotions I think that would have come out when he was celebrating after scoring, and I can completely understand why.
“I’d texted him on the morning of that game to wish him luck. He is a man of relatively few words when it comes to texting back, but I loved his reply which was simply ‘it’s time’.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
TEAM NEWS: FINLAND VS BELGIUM
Reports claim Martinez will start Kevin De Bruyne, Alex Witsel and Eden Hazard in a bid to get the trio match fit, writes THOMAS BLOW.
Despite already qualifying, the ex-Everton boss is expected to put out a strong team as he wants to win every game.
Thorgan Hazard is at risk of suspension, along with Finland players Glen Kamara, Robin Lod, Tim Sparv and Daniel O’Shaughnessy.
But Kanerva cannot afford to rest those four stars as Finland need to play their strongest team to stand any chance of getting a result against the Belgians.
GROUP A COMPLETED
Group A was completed last night. Italy narrowly beat Wales 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.
And Switzerland beat Turkey, meaning the latter finished Euro 2020 on no points.
Italy and Wales go through, and Switzerland will have to wait to learn their fate.
Four points for the Swiss is good, but the goal difference COULD prevent them from going through as one of four of the best third placed teams.
BELGIUM TEAM GUIDE
Belgium are already through to the knockout stages of Euro 2020!
But their opponents tonight, Finland, are on three points. A single point COULD send them through in either second if Russia lose or third.
If Finland finish third on four points, they have a decent chance of going through as one of four of the best third placed teams.
EURO 2020 ROUND-UP
Boss Robert Page and skipper Gareth Bale are “bursting with pride” at Wales reaching the Euro 2020 knockout stages in adversity
The Dragons went through on goal difference after doggedly limiting group winners Italy to a 1-0 win following Ethan Ampadu’s red card on 54 minutes.
That left Switzerland third on goal difference, despite Xherdan Shaqiri blasting two goals in their 3-1 Group A triumph over point-less Turkey.
Asked if defeat felt like victory, Page said: “Of course it does because we’ve got second spot. It’s that feeling of winning.
“Don’t underestimate the character of a Welshman. It’s phenomenal what the changing room has got in there. I’m bursting with pride.”
And Bale added: “We knew it was going to be a difficult game but we got the job done, finished second.
“It was a little bit disappointing to lose, it’s natural, but the boys just grafted, ran all day and… really dug deep.”
Fancied Belgium are already through with two straight wins, but tonight face a Finland side for whom a point will keep them in the hunt.
Russia, on three points, take on bottom side Denmark in the other Group B match.
Holland can complete a 100% Group C record with victory over no-pointers North Macedonia.
So the more intriguing game in that group is Ukraine vs Austria, who both have three points.
Meanwhile, UEFA are probing alleged racism and homophobia from Hungarian fans at Euro 2020 matches in Budapest.
French black players were subjected to monkey chants during Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
STERLING WANTS TO BE BUSIER
Raheem Sterling hopes he and Manchester City star Phil Foden get more involved in England’s Group D finale against group leaders the Czech Republic on Tuesday.
The Three Lions’ raider said: “I feel like, for me and Phil (Foden) and the other wingers, the more we can get on the ball at the edge of the opposition box, be a threat there, it will be better for us because those are the positions we want to be in.
“At the same time, we have to understand that this is international football and teams are more robust, they sit in, defending for their lives.
“We’ve just got to use the ball better and try to get the players on the ball in the right positions so we can harm the opposition.”
ENGLAND’S ‘YIKES!’ TO DYKES
Scotland hardman Lyndon Dykes claims England did not like it up ’em when they collided at Wembley on Friday night.
The Aussie-born striker made his intentions clear right from the off when he clattered Luke Shaw in the first minute of the cross-border clash.
And England’s spiky reaction to the physical approach left Dykes convinced he had rattled Gareth Southgate’s men.
He said: “It set the tone when I smashed into Shaw and I think that a few of the boys from the England team didn’t really want it.
“It was right from the kick-off and it was up to me to win the first challenge and I’ve taken him out as well, so it was a good start for us.
“It wasn’t deliberate but I caught him with my knee on his leg and I knew he didn’t like it.
“Shaw didn’t say anything but the referee tried to make me say sorry after I’d got him.
“The ref had actually pulled me in the warm-up before the game had even started and tried to warn me about my headers and stuff.
“But if the ball is there to be won I’m going to challenge for it and that’s what I did.”
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