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      Who is Netherlands vs Ukraine referee Felix Brych? Euro 2020 official, lawyer and former Champions League final ref

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      ONE of the world’s best-known referees, Felix Brych is Germany’s representative at Euro 2020.The whistler has taken charge of Champions League finals before and is one of Uefa’s most trusted officials.
      Referee Felix Brych shows a red card to Alex TellesCredit: Reuters
      Who is Felix Brych?
      BORN in Munich, Brych was refereeing in the German lower leagues at the tender age of just 24.
      He impressed enough to make his 2. Bundesliga bow in 2001, before reaching the top league in Germany just three years later.
      By 2007 he was regularly involved in European matches and has since worked his way up to internationals.
      Brych is one of the highest rated refs at Euro 2020Credit: EPA
      Not afraid to stamp his authority on games and brandish his cards, Brych is perhaps best remembered in the UK for sending off Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic for a high tackle against Otelul Galati in 2011.
      Back in his maiden World Cup in Brazil, Brych sent off Uruguayan Maxi Pereira and cautioned six more in his two matches at the finals.
      And in World Cup 2018 he caused huge controversy by failing to award Serbia a penalty against Switzerland when Aleksandar Mitrovic appeared to be being held down by two Swiss players.
      A lawyer outside of football, Brych is a qualified doctor of law.What games is he taking charge of in Euro 2020?
      Felix Brych’s first game will be between the Netherlands and Ukraine. More

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      Why was Clive Tyldesley bumped off ITV’s prime commentary slot?

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      CLIVE TYLDESLEY, known as the voice of England football, was axed from his position as ITV’s Prime commentator last July after 22 years in the role.The 66-year-old spoke to the biggest ever British audience for a single game when the Three Lions lost to Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final in front of 24.3million viewers.
      Clive Tyldesley commentating during the Euro 2012
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      Why was Clive Tyldesley bumped from his role?
      The Radcliffe born broadcaster’s voice has provided the backdrop to many memorable Champions League nights, as well as World Cups, European Championships, England friendlies and FA Cups.
      Although ITV have stood Tyldesley down from his previous role, he will still be in the commentary box in a supporting role for Euro 2020. 
      According to the Daily Mail, Tyldesley and ITV mutually agreed more than two years ago that his role would change at some point in 2020, because the broadcaster felt that this would be the right moment for a new leading voice.
      The move away from ITV allowed Tyldesley to work for rival broadcasters throughout the 20/21 season including Amazon Prime Video.
      Sam Matterface was in-turn announced as ITV’s new principal figure in place of Tyldesley for any future England games.
      Tyldesley will be commentating for ITV at the Euro Championship
      Tyldesley claimed he considered “storming out” of his meeting with ITV bosses after he was presented with the news.
      However, after a change of heart, he realised he would still be able to cover top-tier matches and continue to fulfil his passion. 

      Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he said: “I could have stormed out, but I thought, no I quite fancy commentating on France versus Italy.
      “No more England, so it will be a slightly strange thing.
      “Once the decision has been taken you have to absorb it, realise it’s not the end of the world. It’s nice if you’re missed a little bit.”
      Tyldesley also opened up on his replacement, Matterface, insisting he holds no bad ties with his 43-year-old replacement.
      He added: “I don’t think ITV replaced me with a younger man for the sake of that, I think they replaced me with a different kind of commentator.
      “And even though I was shocked by the decision and didn’t agree with it, I can accept it, because Sam commentates in a different way.
      “But when I hear that somebody as capable as Mark Pougatch has been replaced on the BBC by somebody who has got a younger voice, but broadcasts in the same way, only not as well, I can’t fathom that out at all. More

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      Why isn’t Virgil van Dijk playing for the Netherlands in Euro 2020?

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      VIRGIL VAN DIJK has been arguably the best defender in world football over the past three years. But the Liverpool centre-back has had to sit the majority of this season out with a nasty knee injury he sustained in his side’s 2-2 draw with rivals Everton early in the campaign.
      Virgil van Dijk has missed much of the 2020/21 campaign with an ACL injuryCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Van Dijk’s Holland side will be competing in this summer’s European Championships, but the Dutch stalwart won’t be there.
      Why won’t Van Dijk be playing for Holland at Euro 2020?
      Van Dijk’s anterior cruciate ligament injury occurred when Everton goalkeeper collided with the defender during their Merseyside derby clash last October.
      Ever since then, the £75million man has been out of action and on the injury table.
      And although he’s nearing recovery, Van Dijk has ruled himself out of competing at this summer’s Euros with Holland.

      “I feel physically it is the right decision that I’ve decided not to go to the Euros and to go into my last phase of rehab in the off-season,” said Van Dijk.
      “It’s tough, but I’m at peace with it.
      “I think the decision to not go is the right decision in the grand scheme of things.
      “I am very gutted to miss the Euros, to miss the European Championship and leading out my own country there, but things have been like they have and I have to accept it – we all have to accept it.
      Virgil van Dijk will not play for Holland at thos summer’s EurosCredit: PA
      Van Dijk will be hoping to return for the first game of Liverpool’s 2021/22 Premier League campaign instead.
      “I am aiming for that and it looks like it is going to happen, but obviously you never know in football and you never know in life, but I am feeling very positive and ready to go. We’ll see,” he added. More

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      Does third place qualify for Euro 2020 last 16?

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      TWENTY-FOUR teams are competing against each other in the hope of becoming European champions.And as Portugal proved in 2016, you CAN finish third in your group and go on to take home the trophy.
      Wales could finish third and qualifyCredit: AP

      The top two teams from each group will go on to compete in the knockout stages of the competition.
      The 12 teams that go through do not make up the numbers to meet the requirements of the Round of 16, so who does?
      Does third place qualify for Euro 2020 knockout stages?
      Yes, finishing third does lead to qualification for the knockout stages but only for four of the best third-placed teams.
      All of the teams that finish third in the group stages of the Euros are put into a table.
      And their position in the table is determined firstly by how many points they picked up in the group stages.
      But if the teams cannot be separated by points, whichever team has the highest goal difference finishes higher up the table.
      If the table cannot be decided through points or goal difference, it then goes to the number of goals scored in the group stages.

      An unlikely hero in Eder popped up in the 109th minute to score the winning goal in the Euro 2016 finalCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Eder’s goal stunned favourites FranceCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      And if the first three fail to separate the teams, it then goes to fair play conduct, followed by the team’s Uefa ranking.
      The procedures are as followed:

      Higher number of points obtained;
      Superior goal difference;
      Higher number of goals scored
      Fair play conduct;
      Position in the Uefa national team coefficient ranking system.

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      Portugal qualified for the knockout stages of Euro 2016 via the third-placed route after drawing all three of their group games against Hungary, Iceland and Albania.
      The Navegadores scraped their way through to the final of the competition, only winning one game inside 90 minutes against Wales in the semi-finals.
      And when they met home nation France in the final, an unlikely hero in Eder popped up in extra time to score the only goal of the game causing a massive upset.
      Portugal announce incredible Euro 2020 squad More

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      Which Euro 2020 teams are taking the knee during the tournament?

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      EURO 2020 is on its way and one new feature of the tournament looks set to be the differing stance teams will take against racism.England have become embroiled in a big row with the players condemning fans who booed them taking the knee against Austria and Romania.
      England will continue taking the knee throughout Euro 2020Credit: PA
      And manager Gareth Southgate said the players are even more determined to take the knee following the booing.
      Here’s what all 24 teams will be doing during the tournament.
      Which teams are taking the knee at Euro 2020?
      England
      England will continue to take the knee during Euro 2020, as they have been since the murder of George Floyd last year.
      The team have stated that they believe the gesture is not a political one and designed simply to show support for racial equality.
      Gareth Southgate said: “I think we have got a situation where some people seem to think it is a political stand that they don’t agree with.
      “That is not the reason the players are doing it. We are supporting each other.”
      Wales
      Wales and France take the knee in a pre-Euro 2020 friendlyCredit: Reuters
      Wales have taken the knee over the past year and will continue to do so.
      Interim manager Rob Page said: “We had a meeting and we all think it’s still important to take the knee.
      “That’s the message we’ve given out. We’re all in it together and there were no issues.”
      Belgium
      Belgium are the only non-British team to announce they will take the knee throughout Euro 2020.
      Romelu Lukaku said of any negative reactions: “I don’t care. I fight for diversity.
      “Not only for the black community, also for the women. Colour, sexuality, faith, it doesn’t matter. Everybody should be respected.”
      Switzerland
      Switzerland did take the knee in their opening Euro 2020 game against Wales.
      It is not known whether they will take the knee in their remaining matches.
      Which teams will not take the knee at Euro 2020?
      Hungary
      Hungary point to the Uefa Respect badge as Ireland take the kneeCredit: Reuters
      The Hungarian FA were the first association to confirm they will not take the knee at Euro 2020.
      In a statement they said they view the knee as a political gesture in defiance of Uefa and Fifa rules.
      It read: “The basic values ​​of the sport are equal opportunities, respect for the teammate and the opponent.
      “Football may have become the most popular sport in the world because it belongs to everyone.
      “The Hungarian national team not only follows the international rules and norms in all cases, but also pays tribute to everyone – be it an opponent, a fan or anyone else.
      “MLSZ has been fighting all forms of hatred for years as part of the ‘Hate is not a track’ campaign.
      “The rules of UEFA and FIFA do not allow politicization on the pitch and in the stadium either, which the MLSZ not only accepts but also agrees with.
      “The national team will not express its condemnation of any form of hatred by kneeling before the matches.”
      During their warm-up game against Ireland, Hungary pointed to the Uefa Respect logo on the sleeves of their shirts while the Irish team took the knee and were booed by a sizeable portion of the 15,000 crowd.
      The Republic of Ireland’s players were booed and jeered by some Hungary fans as they took a knee before kick-off in their friendly in Budapest. pic.twitter.com/15npHfKZcE— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 8, 2021

      Croatia
      England’s first opponents at Euro 2020 did not take the knee.
      An official statement read: “CFF and the players are against any form of discrimination.
      “But the FA provides the players with the right to choose, as the act itself isn’t a part of Croatian culture and heritage.
      “The players chose not to kneel down before the Belgium game, but they’ve taken a respectful stance towards the gesture made by their Belgium colleagues.”
      Italy
      Italy did not take the knee in their opening match against Turkey.
      It is not known whether they will take the knee against Wales.
      Turkey
      Turkey did not take the knee in their opening match against Italy.
      It is not known whether they will take the knee against Wales.
      Denmark
      Denmark did not take the knee in their Euro 2020 opener against Finland.
      It is not known whether they will do so when they play Belgium.
      Finland
      Finland did not take the knee in their Euro 2020 opener against Denmark.
      It is not known whether they will do so when they play Belgium.
      Russia
      Russia did not take the knee in their opening game against Belgium.
      The crowd in St Petersburg were also heard booing the Belgian team, who did choose to kneel.
      Holland
      The Netherlands will not take the knee in any of their games, captain Georginio Wijnaldum has said.
      Wijnaldum, who has been taking the knee with Liverpool in Premier League games, commented: “We have talked about that but we decided not to do this.
      “We’re trying to bring attention to the issue in a different way. Actually, only the players who play in England are used to this [kneeling].”

      What are the other teams doing?

      Scotland have made their decision ahead of their opener against Czech Republic
      Scotland stars originally said that would NOT be taking a knee prior to their Euro 2020 matches.
      The Scottish FA have confirmed they will continue to promote an anti-racist message by standing before matches.
      But just a day later, they confirmed that they WILL in their match against England.
      Scotland skipper Andy Robertson said: “It is important we continue to tackle the issue of racism and raise awareness of the need to change people’s mindsets but also their behaviours.
      “Prior to our World Cup qualifiers in March we spoke as a group and felt that taking a stand was the best way for us to show solidarity and also to reinforce the need for meaningful change in society.”

      Austria
      Austria chose to join England in taking the knee in their recent friendly in Middlesbrough.
      It is not known whether they will do so in their Euro 2020 games.
      On the fence

      North Macedonia
      North Macedonia have not declared any position on taking the knee.
      Lean no
      Ukraine
      Ukraine have not announced a position on taking the knee.
      On the fence

      Czech Republic
      Czech Republic refused to take the knee in their game against Wales in March and are highly unlikely to do so at Euro 2020.
      The Czechs decided to point to the Uefa Respect logo in their sleeves on that occasion as a “neutral, apolitical gesture”.
      The players will discuss the gesture again before the Euros.
      However they are thought to be less likely than ever to take the knee after being angered by the ten-game suspension Uefa handed down to defender Ondrej Kudela after he was found to have racially abused Rangers’ Glen Kamara.
      No chance
      Spain
      While some La Liga players have shown solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the Spain team have never taken the knee and their clubs also tend not to.
      Real Madrid did not take the knee against Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester City while Villarreal chose not to kneel against Man Utd in the Europa League final.
      When Granada played Man Utd, only Brazil winger Kenedy took the knee.
      Spain have made no statement on taking the knee at Euro 2020.
      Lean no
      Sweden
      Sweden have not taken the knee in their recent friendlies or made any statement on taking it during the tournament.
      On the fence
      Poland
      Poland point to their Uefa Respect badge as England take the kneeCredit: Getty
      Poland are almost certain not to take the knee at Euro 2020 with the gesture being criticised by both their FA president and sections of their support.
      The Poles refused to kneel against England and instead pointed to the Uefa Respect logo on their sleeves.
      Polish FA President Zbigniew Boniek labelled the gesture “populism” that “achieved nothing” and said: “I am absolutely against such actions.
      “Footballers sometimes kneel, and if you asked some of them why they were kneeling, they wouldn’t even know.”
      No chance
      Slovakia
      Slovakia took the knee against Ireland and Scotland last October but were criticised in the Slovakian parliament.
      After this, the country’s FA said the players had only taken the knee because they believed Uefa had instructed them to do so and would no longer perform the gesture.
      Lean no
      Portugal
      Portugal have not taken the knee in their warm-up friendlies though many of their Europe-based players have done so in their domestic leagues.
      They have made no statement on performing the gesture at the Euros.
      On the fence
      France
      France took the knee in their first warm-up friendly against Wales but not in their second one against Bulgaria.
      This would suggest that they will only take the knee during Euro 2020 if the opposition does.
      They have made no statement on what they intend to do during the tournament.
      On the fence
      Germany
      Bundesliga players took the knee after the murder of George Floyd last season.
      However, the national team have not been kneeling in 2021.
      The German team have been vocal in their support of human rights for migrant workers in Qatar.
      On the fence More

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      Did North Macedonia change its name and is Euro 2020 their first international football tournament?

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      NORTH MACEDONIA have made it to a first football finals.After a terrific campaign in the 2018/19 Nations League, the Balkan nation won in Georgia to qualify for Euro 2020.
      North Macedonia fans have enjoyed a brilliant yearCredit: EPA
      Where is North Macedonia?
      FORMERLY part of Yugoslavia, North Macedonia has been independent since September 1991.
      It became a member of the UN two years later – but due to a dispute with Greece over the name ‘Macedonia’ was admitted as the ‘former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’, or FYR Macedonia for short.
      North Macedonia is a land-locked country and shares a border with Greece, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria and Serbia.
      It’s capital is Skopje, which is home to around 550,000 people as of 2017.
      How long have they had a football team?
      IN March 2018, Macedonia and Greece resolved their long-running dispute on the countries name and agreed on the Republic of North Macedonia.
      This came into effect 11 months later in February 2019, with the transition period used to change passports, licence plates, currency, border signs, and government websites.
      Football is huge in the country and is rivalled only by handball as the most popular sport – and since 1993 they had competed in Fifa and Uefa competition as FYR Macedonia.
      As a result, the first major qualifying tournament that Macedonia participated in as an independent nation were Euro 96 qualifiers.
      They play home games at the Tose Proeski Arena in Skopje and have yet to reach a major tournament.
      The stadium use to be called the Philip II Arena, after the ancient king, who was father to Alexander the Great.
      But it the name was changed to honour late singer Proeski as part of North Macedonia’s agreement with Greece, which said all sites named after Greek historical figures must be renamed.
      The first game they undertook after the name change to North Macedonia was a Euro 2020 qualifying clash against Latvia in March, which ended in a 3-1 win. More

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      Brazil vs Venezuela FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time, team news for Copa America opener

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      THE Copa America is here!And what a fixture we have in store to kick it off when hosts Brazil take on Venezuela in Brasilia.
      Lucas Paqueta and Neymar will be featuring for Brazil
      Brazil have strongly criticised the organisers, but have said they will not boycott the event.
      South American Football Confederation Conmebol moved the tournament from Argentina earlier this month.
      Brazil players said in a statement: “For different reasons, be they humanitarian or professional, we are not satisfied with the way the Copa America has been handled by Conmebol.”
      Colombia have already withdrawn from the tournament due to the civil unrest there.
      When is Brazil vs Venezuela?

      Brazil vs Venezuela takes place on Sunday, June 13.
      The match kicks off at 10pm BST. That is 6pm local time in Brasilia.
      The Estadio Nacional de Brasilia plays host.

      What TV channel and live stream is Brazil vs Venezuela on?
      Brazil vs Venezuela will be broadcast live on BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport’s website in the UK.
      How can I watch Brazil vs Venezuela for FREE?

      What is the team news?
      Roberto Firmino is expected to sit out this clash and will be replaced by Lucas Paqueta.
      Richarlison, Neymar and Gabriel Jesus are all expected to start.
      Venezuela’s squad has already been severely weakened after 12 players tested positive for coronavirus, with 14 replacements now being flown over.
      Brazil Copa America squad:
      Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)
      Defenders: Emerson (Barcelona), Danilo, Alex Sandro (Juventus), Renan Lodi, Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Thiago Silva (Chelsea)
      Midfielders: Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Everton Ribeiro (Flamengo), Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United), Lucas Paquetá (Lyon)
      Forwards: Everton (Benfica), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Gabriel Barbosa (Flamengo), Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), Richarlison (Everton), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
      Venezuela Copa America squad
      Venezuela’s final squad for Copa America More

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      YouTubers vs TikTokers boxing fight card: Live stream, start time UK, TV channel for Austin McBroom vs Bryce Hall & Deji

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      A HUGE fight night is on this weekend when YouTubers face off against TikTok stars.KSI’s brother Deji – who lost to Jake Paul in 2018 – is back in the ring to face TikTok star Vinnie Hacker.

      When is YouTubers vs TikTokers?
      Stars of YouTube and TikTokers do battle on Saturday, June 12 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
      The fight card starts from 11pm BST.
      In the main event, YouTube star Austin McBroom fights TikTok sensation Bryce Hall.
      Organisers have said: “Social Gloves: Battle of the Platforms is a one of a kind, unprecedented live PPV entertainment mega event that will include a Gatsby-esque over-the-top production boxing competition pitting the world’s largest social media stars from YouTube against the new icons from the explosive TikTok platform.”

      How can I watch YouTubers vs TikTokers?
      The event will be broadcast LIVE on the Live X Live platform.
      The show costs $58.49 (£41) to purchase.
      The event starts from 11pm BST.

      What is the YouTubers vs TikTokers fight card?

      Tanner Fox vs Ryland Storms
      FaZe Jarvis vs Michale Le
      DDG vs Nate Wyatt
      Fan’s pick vs Tayler Holder
      Danny Duncan vs Fan’s pick
      Deji vs Vinnie Hacker
      Austin McBroom vs Bryce Hall

      What have they said?
      The event’s executive producer Paul Cazers said: “This event is a perfect storm of celebrity, social media, technology, digital marketing, pop culture and, at the end of the day, good old Hollywood 101 celebrity and industry magic.
      “Every component of this singular moment is architected to be a larger than life spectacle and drive viewers across the planet through all social media platforms.
      “Every model that we’re seeing is tracking this to be the largest PPV event in history.” More