EURO 2020
Euro 2020 kicks off started at Stadio Olimpico
Postponed by a year, the biggest sporting event since the coronavirus brought the world to a halt kicked off Friday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome — a milestone both for European and world sports.
Italy and Turkey are playing their Group A match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Read: UEFA Euro 2020: All you need to know
There are about 16,000 fans in the stadium. Attendances for most matches at the 24-team tournament in 11 cities around the continent have been cut because of restrictions related to the pandemic.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli delivered a powerful performance of Giacomo Puccini’s aria “Nessun Dorma” at the opening ceremony for the European Championship.
Bocelli sang as the fireworks went off in the background and a female dancer attached to large helium balloons floated above the field.
Read: UEFA EURO 2020: The favourites, underdogs and outsiders
The performance was followed by a virtual performance by U2 stars Bono and The Edge with DJ Martin Garrix.
The tournament represents a major step forward on the path toward recovery after one of the darkest chapters in the continent’s history since World War II. More than 1 million Europeans have died in the pandemic, including almost 127,000 Italians.
“After everything that’s happened, now the situation is improving, I think the time has come to start providing fans with something to be satisfied about,” said Italy oach Roberto Mancini, who tested positive for COVID-19 in November but was asymptomatic.
Many worry that it’s still not safe to bring tens of thousands of fans together in stadiums across Europe, but organizers hope measures including crowd limitations, staggered arrival times for fans, social distancing rules and lots of hand sanitizer will help prevent a resurgence of virus infections, which have dropped sharply in Europe in recent months.
The virus already has had an impact on the tournament, which for the first time is not being hosted by one or two nations but is spread out across the continent with matches in 11 cities.
Spain captain Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the team’s first match against Sweden in Seville on Monday. Another Spain player tested positive, as did two of Sweden’s players. The Spanish squad was getting vaccinated Friday.
Russia winger Andrey Mostovoy then became the first player to be cut from a national team on Friday after testing positive.
UEFA EURO 2020: The favourites, underdogs and outsiders
The Euro 2020 was suspended because of the pandemic coronavirus. The competition was postponed for a year due to growing concern over covid-19. Finally, UEFA Euro 2020 will begin on June 11 this year. The month-long tournament will end on July 11 at wembley stadium in London with the final match. Although Portugal won Euro 2016, they are not the favourites to win this year's tournament. Other European giants are strong contenders for the prestigious title. Which European teams have the best chance of winning the competition this year? In this article, we discussed the UEFA Euro 2020 favorites, underdogs, and outsiders.
Who are the favourites to win Euro 2020?
France
The 2018 World Cup champion, France are one of the favourites to win Euro 2020 this year. This team has some of the most well-known players in the world today, who can make opponents scared. France can win the European Championship for the third time if they are in good form from the start of the tournament.
Five key playersto watch out for
Antoine Griezmann (Striker), KylianMbappé (Striker), N'GoloKanté (Midfielder), Paul Pogba (Midfielder), RaphaëlVarane (Defender)
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Belgium
Belgium's greatest team in history will compete in the Euro 2020 competition. They have several outstanding players in every department. However, they lack confidence as they yet to win a major championship. Belgium's best achievement in the Euro tournament is finishing second in the 1980 edition.
Five key players to watch out for
RomeluLukaku (Striker), Kevin De Bruyne (Midfielder), Thomas Meunier (Midfielder), Toby Alderweireld (Defender), ThibautCourtois (Goalkeeper)
England
A handful of standout players have joined the England national squad in the last five years. That's why England coach Gareth Southgate feels optimistic about his team. England, who have never played in a final before, are hoping to win the tournament this year.
Five key players to watch out for
Harry Kane (Striker), Raheem Sterling (Midfielder), Phil Foden (Midfielder), Kieran Trippier (Defender), Jadon Sancho (Midfielder)
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Who are the underdogs to win Euro 2020?
Germany
Germany have always been the hot favourite of the tournament. Their form have deteriorated in recent times. However, the Germans may become invincible once the tournament begins. If that happens, no one will be able to stop Germany from becoming the first team to win the tournament record four times.
Five key players to watch out for
Timo Werner (Striker), İlkayGündoğan (Midfielder), Toni Kroos (Midfielder), Manuel Neuer (Goalkeeper), Thomas Müller (Midfielder)
Portugal
The tournament's current champion, Portugal have a chance to win it again. However, they are not favorites this time. Many consider Portugal to be the underdog side in this year's tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping to win one more Euro before retiring from international football, and this might motivate the Portuguese.
Five key players to watch out for
Cristiano Ronaldo (Striker), Bernardo Silva (Midfielder), Bruno Fernandes (Midfielder), Rúben Dias (Defender), Pepe (Defender)
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Spain
2010 World Cup champion, Spain are no longer as strong as they were five years ago. The team have a number of new players. Nonetheless, Coach Luis Enrique remains hopeful. If Spain can make it to the knockout stage, they have a chance to do well.
Five key players to watch out for
Álvaro Morata (Striker), Sergio Busquets (Midfielder), Rodri Hernández (Midfielder), Koke (Midfielder), César Azpilicueta (Defender)
Read: Winners and losers at the end of 2020/2021 European Season
Who are the outsiders to win Euro 2020?
Italy
The failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup saddened Italian supporters. The national squad of Italy is still under a lot of pressure and many people regard them as one of the outsiders to win the tournament. It will be a great success for Italy if they can make it to the semi-finals.
Five key players to watch out for
Moise Kean (Striker), Marco Verratti (Midfielder), Leonardo Bonucci (Defender), Giorgio Chiellini (Defender), GianluigiDonnarumma (Goalkeeper)
Netherlands
The Netherlands football team is also in a bad position. They have been trying to build a solid team since last year. The Netherlands have a number of talented young players, so it will not be surprising if they reach the Euro 2020 final.
Five key players to watch out for
Memphis Depay (Striker),Frenkie de Jong (Midfielder), GeorginioWijnaldum (Midfielder), Matthijs de Ligt (Defender), Jasper Cillessen(Goalkeeper)
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Croatia
The 2016 runner-up, team Croatia has lost some of its strength. So, it would be unreasonable to expect too much from them. Croatia have a chance to reach the final of the competition if they play at their best.
Five key players to watch out for
Ante Rebić (Striker), Mateo Kovačić (Midfielder), Luka Modrić (Midfielder), Ivan Perišić (Midfielder), DejanLovren (Defender)
Verdict
We examined the strengths of the tournament's comparatively stronger teams to predict who could really win the UEFA Euro 2020 and who would be the favorites, underdogs, and outsiders. After evaluating the teams' strengths; it's clear that England, France, and Belgium are the front-runners to win the championship. Furthermore, Germany, Portugal, and Spain all stand a good possibility of winning Euro 2020. Momentum is crucial for this type of mega event. Overall, we expect the best team will win the tournament.
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UEFA Euro 2020: All you need to know
The month-long UEFA Euro 2020 tournament will take place in various parts of Europe from June 11 to July 11. The Union of European Football Associations is hosting the 16th UEFA European Championship. The European Championship is regarded as the most important football competition after FIFA World Cup. So there is an added interest among the fans for this tournament. Portugal are the defending champion. The video assistant referee system will be used in this edition of the European Championship. There is a curiosity about this year's tournament, so all you need to know about Euro 2020 is discussed in this article.
Why has UEFA Euro 2020 been delayed for a year?
UEFA was concerned about the safety of players and personnel as traveling all the host cities would have been risky amid the coronavirus outbreak in early 2020. The UEFA reported in early March that they were optimistic in their ability to cope with the crisis and that they were in touch with the World Health Organization to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.
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However, numerous domestic and UEFA competitions had begun to be postponed because of the impact of covid-19. Big European leagues, including the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 had been suspended by mid-March. UEFA held a videoconference with representatives from its affiliates in March 2020 to discuss the effect of the epidemic on football tournaments, including Euro 2020. Following that meeting, UEFA announced that the tournament will be postponed until next year.
Who will host Euro 2020?
The European Championships will take place in 11 cities across Europe for the first time. The tournament will take place between mid-June and mid-July.
The cities that will be hosting the tournament are London (England), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Baku (Azerbaijan), Munich (Germany), Rome (Italy), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Bucharest (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Copenhagen (Denmark), Glasgow (Scotland), and Seville (Spain).
The stadiums where the matches will take place are as follows:
Wembley Stadium: 7 matches including semifinals and the championship match
Saint Petersburg Stadium: 7 matches
Baku Olympic Stadium: 4 matches
Football Arena Munich: 4 matches
Olimpico in Rome: 4 matches
Johan Cruijff Arena: 4 matches
National Arena Bucharest: 4 matches
Puskás Aréna: 4 matches
Parken Stadium: 4 matches
Hampden Park: 4 matches
Stadium La Cartuja Sevilla: 4 matches
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Who will play who in the group stage?
The format of the tournament is that the best two teams from six groups will reach the last 16 and the top four third-place finishers from all groups will also ensure the round of 16.
Let's take a look at the groups at a glance
Group A
Group C
Group E
Italy
Austria
Poland
Wales
Ukraine
Sweden
Turkey
North Macedonia
Spain
Switzerland
Netherlands
Slovakia
Group B
Group D
Group F
Russia
Croatia
Portugal
Denmark
England
France
Finland
Czech Republic
Germany
Belgium
Scotland
Hungary
UEFA Euro Prize Money 2020
At least 9.25 million euros will be awarded to each team competing in Euro 2021. In addition, for any win in the group stage, teams will receive 1.5 million Euros, and for a draw, they will receive 7, 50,000 Euros.
Teams will be awarded 2 million Euros if they progress to the last 16; 3.25 million Euros if they advance to the quarterfinals and 5 million Euros if they qualify to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the runner-up will receive 7 million euros and the champion team will get 10 million euros.
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Bottom Line
The above discussion covers all you need to know about Euro 2020. The European Championship will finally be held after overcoming all the obstacles amidst the novel coronavirus. The positive news is that the spectators will be allowed to enter the stadium to see all the matches of this tournament, but that will be limited. The tournament committee is determined to follow health and safety guidelines in order to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection. Hopefully, the best team will win this year's event.
UEFA could ban Super League players from Euro 2020, WCup
Players at the 12 clubs setting up their own Super League could be banned from this year’s European Championship and next year’s World Cup, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said Monday.
Ceferin spoke following a UEFA executive committee meeting held only hours after the English, Italian and Spanish clubs announced the project that threatens to split European soccer.
“They will not be able to represent their national teams at any matches,” Ceferin said. “UEFA and the footballing world stand united against the disgraceful self-serving proposal we have seen in last 24 hours from a select few clubs in Europe that are fueled purely by greed above all else.”
UEFA’s 55 member federations are gathering for an annual meeting on Tuesday, including 24 nations that are playing in Euro 2020.
“My opinion is that as soon as possible they (the clubs) have to be banned from all our competitions, and the players from all our competitions,” Ceferin said.
Three of the 12 rebels — Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid — are scheduled to play in the Champions League semifinals this month.
Also read: Super League clubs tell FIFA legal action already started
Earlier, the 12 clubs planning to start the breakaway Super League told the leaders of FIFA and UEFA that they have begun legal action aimed at fending off threats to block the competition.
The letter was sent by the group to Ceferin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino saying the Super League has already been underwritten by funding of 4 billion euros ($5.5 billion) from American bank JPMorgan Chase.
Currently, teams have to qualify each year for the Champions League through their domestic leagues, but the Super League would lock in 15 places every season for the founding members. The seismic move to shake up the sport is partly engineered by the American owners of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, who also run franchises in closed U.S. leagues — a model they are trying to replicate in Europe.
UEFA warned the Super League clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus, that legal action would be taken against them and said they also would be barred from existing domestic competitions like the Spanish league and the Premier League.
“We are concerned that FIFA and UEFA may respond to this invitation letter by seeking to take punitive measures to exclude any participating club or player from their respective competitions,” the Super League clubs wrote to Infantino and Ceferin in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.
“Your formal statement does, however, compel us to take protective steps to secure ourselves against such an adverse reaction, which would not only jeopardize the funding commitment under the Grant but, significantly, would be unlawful. For this reason, SLCo (Super League Company) has filed a motion before the relevant courts in order to ensure the seamless establishment and operation of the Competition in accordance with applicable laws.”
The courts were not named.
“It is our duty, as SLCo’s board members, to ensure that all reasonable actions available to protect the interests of the Competition and our stakeholders are duly taken, given the irreparable damage that would be suffered if, for any reason, we were deprived of the opportunity to form promptly the Competition and distribute the proceeds of the Grant,” the Super League letter continued.
The Super League intends to launch a 20-team competition with 15 founding members but only 12 have currently signed up. The others are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham from England, Atletico Madrid from Spain, and AC Milan and Inter Milan from Italy.
The breakaway was launched just as UEFA thought it had agreement on an expansion of the Champions League from 2024. Now, the same officials who backed the plans have decided to go it alone while claiming the existing competitions could remain — despite losing their most successful teams, including record 13-time European champion Real Madrid and six-time winner Liverpool.
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“The Competition is to be played alongside existing domestic league and cup competitions, which are a key part of European football’s competitive fabric,” reads the Super League letter to Infantino and Ceferin. “We do not seek to replace the UEFA’s Champions League or the Europa League but to compete with and exist alongside those tournaments.”
UEFA asking governments to ensure Euro 2020 goes ahead
UEFA is asking governments across the continent to ensure the European Championship goes ahead in three months despite the coronavirus outbreak.
UEFA seeks to dampen Euro 2020 panic over virus outbreak
(AP) — With a European Championship being staged across the continent in three months, UEFA is trying to dampen any panic about the impact of the fast-spreading virus even as uncertainty persists.
Dembele out for season, Euro 2020 after undergoing surgery
Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele will be sidelined for about six months after undergoing surgery to repair a hamstring tear, missing the rest of the season and the European Championship with France.
Germany book EURO 2020 berth with 4-0 win over Belarus
A brace from Toni Kroos helped Germany to seal their berth at next year's EURO after cruising past Belarus 4-0 in a Group C qualifier on Saturday.