Explainers

CESC FABREGAS was a stalwart of the Spain team that won two European Championships and a World Cup.But at Euro 2020, the midfield magician will have a watching brief.
Cesc Fabregas is a pundit for BBC at Euro 2020Credit: BBC
He will take his place on the BBC sofa as a pundit throughout the tournament.
Who does Cesc Fabregas still play for?
Cesc Fabregas is still playing club football and may still have plenty of years left, at the ripe old age of 34.
The Spaniard left Chelsea back in 2019 after five years at the club.
Fabregas now plays in France for AS Monaco.
Who has Cesc Fabregas played for?
Cesc Fabregas has played for the following teams:

Arsenal (2003-2011)
Barcelona (2011-2014)
Chelsea (2014-2019)
Monaco (2019-present)

Is Cesc Fabregas still playing for Spain?
Cesc Fabregas hasn’t played for Spain in five years.
However, the midfielder insisted in 2018 that he has NOT retired from international football.
Fabregas has not said anything since to suggest he wouldn’t be available for the national team if called upon.
The then-Chelsea midfielder was left out of the Spain World Cup squad following a blip in his club form in 2018 and is not thought to have got close to regaining his place since. More

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC has been one of the most talented and recognisable footballers of the past two decades.But at Euro 2020, for the second tournament running, he will play no part for his native Sweden.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will play no part for Sweden at Euro 2020Credit: Getty
Why isn’t Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing for Sweden at Euro 2020?
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, missed out on World Cup 2018 after retiring from international football five years ago.
However, his retirement is NOT the reason he is unable to appear for Sweden at Euro 2020.
Ibrahimovic came out of international retirement in March and appeared in Sweden’s last two World Cup qualifiers.
However, his hopes of an international swansong at the age of 39 were curtailed by a cruciate ligament injury in May.
Though the ligament is not broken, Ibrahimovic will still be unable to return in time for the big tournament in which Sweden face Spain, Poland and Slovakia.
Sweden coach Janne Andersson said: “I spoke to Zlatan Ibrahimovic today, who unfortunately told me his injury will prevent his participation in the European Championship this summer.
“Of course it is sad, especially for Zlatan, but for us too. I hope that he is back on the pitch again as soon as possible.”

Has Zlatan Ibrahimovic played his last game for Sweden?
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not made any announcement on his international future following his injury.
However, he may be encouraged to continue with the World Cup in Qatar just 18 months away.
That would give him the incredible opportunity to play his part on the world’s biggest stage at the age of 41.
But he would still not be the oldest player ever to appear at a World Cup, with that accolade going to Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary.
He started against Saudi Arabia at World Cup 2018 at the age of 45. More

SPAIN will be looking to win back the European Championships they lost five years ago in France as they partake in this summer’s tournament. And La Furia Roja will have the chance to do it with Man City stalwart Aymeric Laporte in their side, despite having never capped him before.
Aymeric Laporte has been selected to play for Spain at the EurosCredit: Reuters
The 27-year-old will be taking part in his first ever major international tournament, thanks to his inclusion.
Why is Aymeric Laporte set to play for Spain at Euro 2020?
Laporte was born in the French Basque Country so is French by nationality.
Because of his Basque links, Laporte played his youth career and the first part of his professional career with Spanish club Athletic Bilbao.
Laporte, however, played 51 times for France’s youth sides, from Under-17s all the way up to the Under-21s, who he captained.

He then earned a big-money £57m move to Manchester City, where he’s gone on to become one of the Premier League’s best defenders.
Laporte was actually called up to the France squad in September 2019, however he got damaged his knee ligaments before he could play.
The Times reports that boss Didier Deschamps promised a return to the French squad as soon as he was fit but the call never came, a decision which ultimately set in motion Laporte’s switch to Spain.
France have the likes of Lucas Hernandez, Clement Lenglet, Raphael Varane, Prensel Kimpembe and Kurt Zouma in the central defensive roles.
Laporte then officially changed his international allegiance to Spain, who granted him a Spanish passport last month.
A Spanish FA statement readh: “The player Aymeric Laporte is eligible to play for the representative teams of the RFEF – Spanish Football Association with immediate effect.”
Aymeric Laporte won the Premier League with City last monthCredit: PA
Players are allowed to switch allegiances, so long as they haven’t played over three times for their country before the age of 21.
Spain manager Luis Enrique then selected Laporte in his Euro 2020 squad on May 21, electing to leave out Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos.
Laporte will going Pau Torres, Inigo Martinez and City team-mate Eric Garcia as the squad’s main centre-backs. More

EURO 2020 is underway with teams looking to make it to the last 16.To do that, it will help if they can keep their discipline and avoid bookings and red cards.
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Shane Duffy was sent off in the Round of 16 against France at Euro 2016Credit: GETTY IMAGES
This was the case in Euro 2016 when only three players received a red card.
Former Sunderland centre-back Lorik Cana was sent off in the first half against Switzerland for Albania.
Aleksandar Dragovic was the next player to see red in Austria’s 2-0 defeat to Hungary.
And Ireland’s Shane Duffy was shown a straight red card in the Round of 16 defeat at the hands of France.
What suspension will the players who see red serve this summer? Well, SunSport has all the details you need to know.
How many red cards have there been at Euro 2020?
There has been one red card at Euro 2020 so far.

Grzegorz Krychowiak – POLAND vs Slovakia

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What is the suspension?
Well, according to the Regulations of the Uefa European Football Championship article 52, a player who is sent off the pitch is suspended for the next game.
And red card suspensions that cannot be served during the competition can be carried forward to the FIFA World Cup.
But the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body is also permitted to increase the punishment, and that can be extended to other competitions.
⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
BBC release promo for Euro 2020 featuring Bale, Ronaldo and Mbappe for this summer More

SLOVENIAN referee Slavko Vincic has emerged from a very turbulent year to be appointed to Euro 2020.The continent’s biggest football competition seemed a world away a year ago, when he was arrested in Bosnia and accused of being part of a drugs and prostitution ring.
Slavko Vincic has emerged from a turbulent year to be appointed to Euro 2020Credit: The Sun
However, he was later released without charge and is now free to focus on football, where he is recognised as one of Europe’s best referees.
Who is Slavko Vincic?
A native of Maribor, Vincic turned professional in 2007 making his debut in Slovenia’s top flight.
Vincic was included in the Slovenian officiating team at Euro 2012 as an unused additional assistant.
The experienced 41-year-old has been a Fifa accredited referee since 2010 and has regularly officiated in the Champions League and Europa League.
Vincic took charge of Liverpool’s Champions League last 16 first leg tie against RB Leipzig in February and the first leg of Chelsea’s quarter final against Porto.
He is part of Uefa’s group of elite referees having officiated across Europe’s top competitions.

What happened in Bosnia?
Slavko Vincic said of his arrest: “I found myself on this ranch by chance. I have my own company, I was in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a business meeting.
“I accepted an invitation to lunch, which turned out to be my biggest mistake. I regret it.
“I was sitting at a table with my company, all of a sudden the police came and what happened, happened.
“I have nothing to do with the group that was arrested and detained, nor do my business partners.
“Yes, they really took us to the police, asked as witnesses, when it turned out that we didn’t even know them, we were able to go.”
Vincic was defended by the Slovenian FA who viewed the incident as their man being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What games is he taking charge of at Euro 2020?
This has not yet been confirmed but he is expected to officiate in the group stages of the tournament. More

ROMANIAN referee Ovidiu Hategan just the medicine for any controversies at this summer’s European Championships – given he is a qualified doctor.The 40-year-old took charge of European ties involving Liverpool, Manchester United and Rangers over the past year.
Ovidiu Hategan shows Wales’ Connor Roberts a red card during the Dragons’ 2022 World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic
Hategan also refereed the first leg of the Champions League quarter final between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in April, controversially ruling out a Jude Bellingham goal for the Germans.
He was also investigated over failing to implement racism protocols but cleared of all offences.
Who is Ovidiu Hategan?
Born in Arad, Hategan initially graduated in medicine and later worked as a GP in his homeland.
After switching to refereeing, Hategan was given his big break in 2006 where he whistled in Romania’s Liga 1.
By 2008 he became a Fifa listed referee and four years later, made his bow in the Champions League group stage.
Why was Hategan investigated by Uefa?
In 2013, Hategan became embroiled in controversy when the then Uefa President Michel Platini called for an investigation after Hategan failed to apply the protocol for dealing with alleged racial chanting aimed at Yaya Toure during CSKA Moscow’s game with Manchester City.
Hategan was later cleared of any blame.
Hategan broke down in tears after Holland’s draw with Germany – it was later revealed he found out at half time his mother had died
During a Nations League game between Netherlands and Germany in 2018, Hategan was informed at half-time that his mother had passed away.
After being given the option to be replaced, he chose to continue and officiate the second half.
Visibly upset, Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk consoled Hategan at the end of the game.
In 2018 Hategan was also dropped from the Fifa World Cup referees list after admitting a mistake, wrongly awarding Switzerland a penalty kick in their win over Northern Ireland, which denied Michael O’Neil’s side a shot at the finals.
Hategan was also embroiled in controversy last year when he sent off Istanbul Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webo.
Cameroonian Webo claimed his fourth official Sebastian Coltescu called him “the black one” on the bench during a Champions League game between Istanbul Basaksehir and Paris Saint-Germain.
Coltescu was later suspended for the rest of the season for inappropriate behaviour, despite being found not guilty of racism, after BOTH sets of players walked off the pitch before the game was finished a day later.
Istanbul Basaksehir assistant Pierre Webo accused Hategan’s fourth official of calling him ‘the black one’ before the official was suspendedCredit: EPA

What games is he taking charges of at Euro 2020?
Hategan’s first Euro 2020 match will be Poland vs Slovakia. More