Wembley crowd to grow to at least 40,000
LONDON, June 15: The capacity at Wembley Stadium will increase to at least 40,000 as the European Championship progresses after the British government decided to further ease coronavirus restrictions in the coming weeks.
The number of spectators will be increased from the 22,500 currently permitted for the group matches despite the government delaying the removal of more wider coronavirus restrictions in England by four weeks to July 19.
The first match to benefit from the enlarged capacity will be the round of 16 game on June 29 that could feature England if the team wins its group. The government’s reference to the 90,000-seat Wembley being “at minimum 50% capacity” for the latter matches offers the prospect of the attendance growing again for the semifinals and final.
Spectators at Wembley have to provide proof of being fully vaccinated or a negative COVID-19 test to access the stadium. (AP)
N Macedonia want Austria’s Arnautovic punished
BUCHAREST, June 15: The North Macedonian football federation has submitted a request to UEFA asking for Austria striker Marko Arnautovic to be punished for a nationalist outburst after he scored a goal at the European Championship.
The federation said the outburst was directed at Ezgjan Alioski, who is of Albanian origin.
Arnautovic scored the final goal in Austria’s 3-1 victory over North Macedonia on Sunday at the National Arena in Bucharest.
He wrote in an Instagram story that he was sorry for what happened and acknowledged “some heated words yesterday in the emotions of the game for which I would like to apologize – especially to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania.”
“I would like to say one thing very clearly: I AM NOT A RACIST!” Arnautovic wrote. (AP)
Denmark head coach steps up UEFA criticism
Copenhagen, June 15: Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand stepped up his criticism of UEFA on Tuesday for not giving his players the option to postpone the game against Finland in the wake of Christian Eriksen’s collapse.
Hjulmand said UEFA failed to lead with compassion and that his players were put in a hugely difficult situation after the incident on Saturday.
The Euro 2020 game resumed following a suspension of about 90 minutes after Eriksen collapsed and had to be resuscitated with a defibrillator.
Denmark was given the option by UEFA to either resume that evening or come back at noon on Sunday. That has led to widespread anger in Denmark and a spat between the team and UEFA.
Hjulmand pointed out that newly created coronavirus protocols for Euro 2020 allow UEFA to postpone a game for 48 hours if a certain number of players from one team test positive or have to self isolate.
UEFA on Monday defended its handling of the situation and has repeatedly said it wasn’t possible to postpone the game for longer because Finland is due to play its second group game on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Russia. Denmark plays Belgium in Group B in Copenhagen on Thursday. (AP)