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      France vs Germany: Live stream FREE, TV channel, kick-off time, team news for TONIGHT’S Euro 2020 match

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      THE last two world champions go head-to-head in a mouthwatering Euro 2020 opener between France and Germany.And it’s a match that both teams dare not lose with European champions Portugal lining up alongside Hungary in what is undoubtedly this tournament’s Group of Death.
      France will be looking to Kylian Mbappe to help them complete a World Cup and European Championship doubleCredit: AFP or licensors
      Germany qualified for Euro 2020 in top spotCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Both teams qualified in top spot of their respective groups with France edging out Turkey and Germany finishing just above rivals Holland.
      What time does France vs Germany kick off?

      What TV channel is France vs Germany on and can I live stream it?

      France vs Germany is live on ITV1.
      To stream the game live, head to the ITV Hub.
      TF1, M6 and beIN Sports are showing Euro 2020 in France while ARD and ZDF are the German broadcasters.

      Can I watch France vs Germany for free?

      Team news
      Get the France vs Germany team news here. More

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      Who is France vs Germany referee Carlos del Cerro Grande and which other games is he taking charge of at Euro 2020?

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      SPAIN’S man in the middle at the Euro 2020 this summer Carlos del Cerro Grande.The Euros is his first major international tournament as a ref.
      Carlos del Cerro Grande has no problem taking charge of big matchesCredit: AFP or licensors
      But Grande is no stranger to big competitions, Grande was the fourth official for the 2021 Champions League final and has officiated some high-profile games in the past.
      The Spaniard took charge of Manchester United’s 6-2 thrashing of Roma in this seasons Europa League semi-final and Manchester City’s 2-1 Champions League victory at Borussia Dortmund in April.
      Who is Carlos del Cerro Grande?
      Grande began refereeing in Spain’s third tier in 2006 and as his stock rose at lower level, he was promoted to the Spanish second division six years later.
      A Police agent by profession, Grande continued to impress and made his La Liga bow in 2011 where he is now one of Spain’s top referees.
      The 45-year-old oversaw his first Champions League qualifying game in 2013 and two years later, the Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Sevilla where he sent off both Javier Mascherano and Ever Banega.
      The Madrid native is unable to officiate El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona but has been given the task of overseeing international and even had a short stint in Saudi Arabia’s professional league.
      In 2016, Grande was the recipient of the prestigious Vicente Acebedo Trophy, an annual award by the Spanish Football Federation to the best referees in Spain.
      He is no stranger to Wembley Stadium as he took charge of England’s 3-0 friendly win over Republic of Ireland in November 2020.
      What is his refereeing style?
      Grande is known for a common-sense style of refereeing when making decisions, opting to allow games to flow.

      His experience and know-how of when to intervene has elevated him to the top of the Spanish game.
      What games is he taking charges of at Euro 2020?
      This has not yet been confirmed but he is expected to officiate in both the group stages and the latter rounds of the tournament. More

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      Why is Sergio Ramos not playing for Spain at Euro 2020?

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      SPAIN boss Luis Enrique’s sensational decision to leave out Sergio Ramos from his final Euro 2020 squad shocked La Roja fans.But why was the decision made to not take one Spain’s most iconic players to the tournament?
      Sergio Ramos will be watching Euro 2020 from his sofaCredit: Reuters
      Why isn’t Sergio Ramos playing for Spain?
      The Real Madrid star has been a constant feature for Spain over the years and has amassed an incredible 180 international appearances.
      Ramos played a key part in Spain’s qualification for this exact tournament starting nine out of ten qualifying matches.
      The now 35-year-old was also a key tenet in helping his country to European Championship success twice as well as World Cup glory in 2010.
      However, Ramos’s omission from the squad means he will not reap another opportunity to help them add more silverware to their trophy cabinet.
      Ramos hasn’t enjoyed the best of campaign’s with Real MadridCredit: Getty
      The centre-back’s lack of playing time which has seen him sidelined for the most part of this season added with Real Madrid’s terrible campaign has been labelled as the reason why he’s not in the squad.
      An injury struck season has meant Ramos has only been able to feature 21 times in all competitions for Los Blancos this term.
      The Real Madrid captain went through a successful knee operation in January, but still only started two games in 2021.

      Spain boss Luis Enrique said: “Ramos has not been able to compete this season, he has not been able to train with the group.
      “I clearly see that it’s a complicated decision. I recommended that he be selfish and that he regains his level to play in his club and in the national team.”
      Ramos’ exclusion amazingly means it is the first time EVER that no Madrid player has been included in a Spanish squad for a major tournament.
      Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte was named in the squad following his switch of allegiance from France and club compatriot Eric Garcia was also included despite having only featured in ONE Premier League game this season.

      Enrique added: “Any decision I made about Sergio Ramos would have been controversial.
      “I know where I am, and accept there will be noise from the media.
      “The Aymeric Laporte decision has nothing to do with the Ramos situation. [Ramos] is a top player, can help our national team a lot, plays at one of the best clubs in history.
      “Please don’t mix Ramos not being in the squad with call-ups for others. I’d have liked him to be here, to have recovered.”
      Ramos’ void meant that Sergio Busquets was appointed captain, however the 32-year-old had to withdraw from the squad after testing postive from Covid-19 – meaning that one of the elder statesmen, Jordi Alba, has inherited the captain’s armband.
      Spain face Sweden in their Euro group opener on June 14 before taking on Poland five days later and Slovakia on June 23.
      Spain squad for Euro 2020

      Goalkeepers: David de Gea, Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez.
      Defenders: Jordi Alba, Jose Gaya, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Torres, Diego Llorente, Eric Garcia, Marcos Llorente, Cesar Azpilicueta.
      Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Thiago, Rodri, Koke, Pedri, Fabian.
      Forwards: Alvaro Morata, Dani Olmo, Pablo Sarabia, Gerard Moreno, Mikel Oyarzabal, Adama Traore, Ferran Torres. More

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      Why is Mesut Ozil not playing for Germany at Euro 2020?

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      WORLD CUP winner Mesut Ozil will not be running out for Germany in this summer’s Euros.Ozil racked up 94 caps for Germany between 2009-2018, scoring 23 goals and laying on 43 assists and is considered by many to be one of the German greats.
      Ozil won’t be appearing for the Germans as they go for glory at Euro 2020Credit: Reuters
      Why is Mesut Ozil not playing for Germany?
      The midfielder was instrumental in Joachim Low’s style of play and Die Mannschaft’s infamous 2014 World Cup glory – but was unable to help his side defend their title four years later in Russia.
      Germany’s poor showing in the 2018 World Cup meant they were eliminated in the group stages and Ozil subsequently announced his retirement from international football, citing racism as the main reason behind his decision.
      The 32-year-old, who has ancestral roots in Turkey, was heavily criticized by the press for meeting up and posing for a photograph with the country’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogen, despite the World Cup winner denying any wrongdoing.
      Erdogan was also reportedly the best man at the player’s wedding in Turkey.
      Ozil is now plying his trade in Turkey with FenerbacheCredit: Reuters
      Ozil’s seven-year tenure at Arsenal was then promptly terminated and after finding success in his first initial years at the Emirates Stadium, he barely appeared for The Gunners towards the end of his stay.
      Ozil was the highest-paid player at the club on a reported £350,000 a week.
      The midfielder was shifted to Fenerbahce on an initial loan deal in January until the end of the season, which would result in a free transfer to the Turkish club at the start of the 2021/2022 season.

      During Ozil’s singing ceremony, the experienced playmaker said: “If I go on a road, I will never come back. So I will not play in the German National Team anymore.
      “I wish them success, but I will never play for them again”.
      Ozil also ruled out the possibility of returning to play his club football in Germany before he hangs up his boots insisting that he has no plans for a Bundesliga homecoming in the future.
      Asked if he has dreamt of going back to the German top-flight at some point, Ozil replied curtly: “No, I haven’t.”

      Back in September 2020, DFB general secretary Friedrich Curtis admitted the German football organisation made mistakes with the way they handled Ozil and missed out on their chance to rectify the situation with the player
      Curtis said: “The DFB made mistakes in dealing with the events surrounding the Ozil case.
      “A photo became a burning glass for many topics. The moment there were racist allegations, we missed the time to meet with the player.”
      Germany’s ‘Group of Death’ will see them take on reigning World Cup champions France on June 15, before Euro holders Portugal four days later and Hungary on June 23. More

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      How many children does Gary Lineker have?

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      FORMER England footballer and BBC presenter Gary Lineker is a father to four sons shared with his ex-wife Michelle Cockayne. George, Harry, Tobias, and Angus are all sons to the broadcaster, who recently announced that he was leaving BT Sport as their Champions League presenter.
      Gary Lineker (centre) with sons (from left to right) Angus, Harry, George and TobiasCredit: Splash News

      The England football legend, 60, joined the channel in 2015 but quit after the Champions League final last month to follow his beloved Leicester City in Europe next season with his sons.
      How old are Gary Lineker’s sons?

      George – 29
      Harry – 27
      Tobias – 25
      Angus – 23

      Gary’s eldest son George is co-founder of YourBusinessNumber, a service that allows people to separate work and personal life by providing a business number.
      And last week George and dad Gary were snapped enjoying a spot of lunch before Lineker senior began presenting duties for the BBC’s coverage of Euro 2020.

      Lineker’s second eldest Harry works as a producer, while youngest Angus is currently a business development manager.
      The BBC presenter shared a picture of him and his four sons together at the beginning of April enjoying a spot of lunch after some Coronavirus restrictions were lifted.
      The five of them are reportedly very close to each other, and will travel Europe together next season to follow Leicester’s Europa League campaign, only the sixth time the Foxes have featured in a European competition.

      Lineker with sons George and Tobias

      Gary Lineker is fronting the BBC’s coverage of Euro 2020, and also presents the BBC’s coverage of the FA Cup, major football tournaments and BBC Sports Personality Of The Year.
      The 60-year-old is also host of Match of the Day, a programme he first presented over twenty years ago in 1999.
      Gary Lineker played 80 times for England in his career, scoring 48 goals More

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      Why does Cristiano Ronaldo wear long sleeve shirts when playing for Juventus and Portugal?

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO is aiming to fire Portugal to a second successive Euros title this summer.The Portugal ace and his team-mates are up against Hungary tonight in their first group game.
      Viewers have noticed a certain tradition Cristiano Ronaldo swears byCredit: EPA
      Why does Cristiano Ronaldo always wear long sleeve shirts?
      YOU may have noticed that you’ve very rarely seen CR7 wear a short-sleeved shirt.
      And that’s because for around the last decade, Cristiano Ronaldo has worn nothing but his now signature long-sleeves.
      Ronaldo celebrates at Euro 2016 with his now signature long sleeve lookCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Through most of his time with Manchester United and then Real Madrid, the Portuguese star has stuck to this – except for a few rare occasions.
      No one is completely sure whether it is superstition, a fashion statement or simply the jersey he feels most comfortable in.
      But brand Ronaldo does have a certain ‘look’ – and this includes the long-sleeve shirt.
      Fans claim Cristiano Ronaldo shouted ‘f*** you’ in face of referee as Uruguay knock Portugal out of the World Cup
      The 2004 defeat to Greece in the Euro final was tough for the young Ronaldo to takeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Potentially the turning point could’ve been the painful Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 campaigns, both of which ended with Ronaldo in tears on the pitch.
      He wore short-sleeves in the next two international tournaments, which were a failure – before making the switch for Euro 2012, where Portugal once again crashed out in a semi-final.
      Gary Neville thinks Lionel Messi will RETIRE from international football, whilst Cristiano Ronaldo will carry on
      He wore short sleeves in the World Cup two years later – but hasn’t sinceCredit: Getty
      Whether it is superstition or fashion, Ronaldo’s legend continues to grow thanks to his incredible exploits on the pitch.
      Cristiano Ronaldo mocked for pulling shorts up before taking free-kick as Uruguay knock Portugal out of the World Cup More

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      Who is ITV Euro 2020 pundit Emma Hayes?

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      WOMEN’S professional football manager Emma Hayes will work as a pundit for ITV during their coverage of this summer’s European Championships. The 44-year-old has been the manager of Chelsea women since 2012, winning the Super League four times in that period.
      Hayes has managed over 200 games for Chelsea
      WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game
      Hayes joins ITV’s studio team alongside former Chelsea Women’s colleague Eni Aluko, as well as the likes of Ian Wright, Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Patrick Vieira and Ashley Cole.
      Aluko and Hayes won three WSL titles together (2015, 2017, 2018), as well the Women’s FA Cup twice in 2015 and 2018.
      Hayes and Aluko both joined Chelsea in 2012, with Aluko staying at the Blues for six successful yearsCredit: Arfa Griffiths – The Sun

      What teams has Emma Hayes managed?

      2001-2003 – Long Island Lady Riders
      2003-2006 – Iona College
      2006-2008 – Arsenal Ladies (assistant)
      2008-2010 – Chicago Red Stars
      2012 – Chelsea Women

      As well as winning the 2020-21 WSL, Hayes reached the Champions League final with Chelsea this season and in doing so became the first female manager to reach the Champions League final in twelve years.
      The fairytale story was not to be though, with Chelsea going down 4-0 to Barcelona Femeni in May.
      Chelsea’s 4-0 loss in the final is the largest margin of victory in any single-legged UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.

      After the defeat, Russian billionaire Abramovich made a rare appearance in the Chelsea dressing room as he consoled the players and manager Emma Hayes.
      Abramovich is almost never seen visiting the players after games as he has taken a much quieter approach to his ownership role in recent years.
      And Hayes explained how she told Abramovich that her side remain hungry for European glory despite the thrashing they had just experienced.
      She said: “Our owner came in to see us, and all the girls were very quick to tell him that we’ll be back here and we’ll work hard on the training pitch to make sure we do that.
      “If I know this group well enough I know that they mean those words. This is just another step in our journey.”
      Abramovich making a rare public appearance after the Women’s Champions League Final

      The ITV team, which includes Hayes, are set live broadcast nineteen Group Stage games at Euro 2020, the first of which is the Group B clash between Belgium and Russia in St. Petersburg on June 12.
      The tournament itself gets underway on June 11, as Turkey take on Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
      How the top pundits of the two channels stack up against each other More

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      What was Marko Arnautovic’s celebration against North Macedonia at Euro 2020 about?

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      MARKO ARNAUTOVIC celebrated angrily when he managed to score against North Macedonia in Austria’s opening Euro 2020 group game at the weekend.The former West Ham man scored the third goal in a 3-1 win for Austria after coming on as a substitute late in the game.
      Arnautovic scored the third in a 3-1 win for Austria at Euro 2020Credit: AFP
      Arnautovic celebrated angrily after scoring against North MacedoniaCredit: AFP
      And once the ball hit the back of the net, Arnautovic wheeled away to celebrate in bizarre fashion, angering North Macedonia players.
      What was Marko Arnautovic’s celebration about?
      Austria were already in command of their Euro 2020 clash when Arnautovic scored to make it 3-1.
      The former Stoke striker was quick to celebrate in emphatic fashion, shouting and pointing at North Macedonia players and supporters in the process.
      Austria captain David Alaba had to restrain Arnautovic from saying too much more and grabbed the 32-year-old by the face to tell him to stop.

      The Football Federation of Macedonia have since called for UEFA to investigate what exactly Arnautovic said to North Macedonia’s players.
      It’s been reported that Arnautovic made racist remarks during his celebration.
      The FFM claim that insults were directed at Leeds man Ezgjan Alioski, who has Albanian routes.
      “The FFM strongly condemns the nationalistic outburst of Austrian player Marko Arnautovic, after a goal scored in yesterday’s match, addressed to Ezgjan Alioski,” a statement said.
      “At the same time, we inform you that we have submitted an official letter to Uefa demanding the harshest punishment for Arnautovic.”
      “We are always against nationalism, discrimination and all other forms of insults and outbursts that are not in the spirit of football and values that we all stand together.
      “We will always stand up and defend the interests and dignity of Macedonian national players wherever they perform.”
      Arnautovic, meanwhile, has Serbian routes and Serbia have historic tension with North Macedonia.
      Arnautovic came on to score for Austria against North MacedoniaCredit: AFP
      While UEFA continue to investigate, Arnautovic has apologised for his actions.
      “There were some heated words yesterday in the emotions of the game for which I would like to apologise, especially to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania,” he wrote on Instagram.
      “I would like to say one thing very clearly: I am not a racist.
      “I have friends in almost every country and I stand for diversity. Everyone who knows me is aware of that.”
      Austria take on Holland in their next Euro 2020 clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam. More