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Ronaldo's Coca-Cola rebuke, Wembley final capacity will be 40,000: Euro 2020 round-up
Updated 21:51, 16-Jun-2021
Simon Ormiston, Daniel Harries
Europe;

TOP HEADLINES:

· Greece has asked UEFA to force North Macedonia to change the MKD emblem on its shirt as Greece claims it infringes the international agreement to change its name from Macedonia.

· Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo moved two bottles of Coca-Cola, one of the tournament sponsors, away from him as he entered a news conference before holding up a bottle of water to the media and said "agua," Portuguese for water

· Denmark's Christian Eriksen, the player who collapsed on the pitch in his country's opening Euro 2020 game, said that he was doing "fine" in an Instagram post from hospital on Tuesday.

· The Euro 2020 semi-finals and final will be played in front of 40,000 fans at Wembley, despite COVID-19 restrictions in England being extended until July 19. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the matches will be test events, allowing an increase in capacity.

· Austria's Marko Arnautovic apologized for his 'aggressive' goal celebrations against North Macedonia, but denied using racist language towards opposition players. The 32-year-old, who has a Serbian background, has been accused of making unsavory remarks to players with Albanian heritage. The Football Federation of North Macedonia has called on UEFA to hand out a "severe fine."

· Pedri became the youngest player to make his debut for Spain when he started Monday's 0-0 draw with Sweden, aged 18 years, six months and 18 days.

· Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo has backed the decision to allow Budapest's Puskas Arena to host games at its full capacity of 68,000. It is the only venue in the tournament able to do so under current COVID-19 restrictions and Ronaldo said: "I wish every single venue could host a full house."

 

Cristiano Ronaldo at Portugal's press conference clutching his bottle of water. /AF/UEFA

Cristiano Ronaldo at Portugal's press conference clutching his bottle of water. /AF/UEFA

 

Greece calls on UEFA to act over North Macedonia kit

Greece's Sports Minister Lefteris Avgenakis sent a letter of complaint to the President of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, over the name being used by the North Macedonia team on its national soccer jersey in Euro 2020.

The badge on the shirt sports the initials FFM for Football Federation of Macedonia excluding the word North from the Balkan country's name.

In 2018, the two countries signed the Prespa Agreement. Macedonia subsequently changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia.

 

Wembley to be near half-full for the knockout games

The UK government has confirmed the country's national soccer stadium, Wembley, will be almost half-full for its last-16 tie, as well as for both semi-finals and the final. 

Fears had been mounting over Wembley's diminished capacity after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions by four weeks, until July 19. 

The crowds, of up to 40,000 for the selected matches, will be the UK's largest in more than 15 months. 

 

Sweden midfielder Sebastian Larsson reacts as he lies on the pitch during the Group E match with Spain at La Cartuja Stadium. /AFP/Jose Manuel Vidal

Sweden midfielder Sebastian Larsson reacts as he lies on the pitch during the Group E match with Spain at La Cartuja Stadium. /AFP/Jose Manuel Vidal

 

Monday's results

Spain 0-0 Sweden

Spain struggled with familiar problems on Monday as a string of missed chances allowed Sweden to hang on for a goalless draw in the teams' Euro 2020 opener in Seville. 

Alvaro Morata wasted the best opportunity of a dominant first half when Spain churned out 419 passes, the most of any team on record in the opening 45 minutes of a European Championship fixture. 

Morata was whistled by his own fans when substituted with 25 minutes left. Manager Luis Enrique is now facing questions over his decision to leave out Gerard Moreno, the Villarreal striker who scored 23 goals last season.

 

We created some chances and they created some, so all in all I'm not disappointed in this point
 -  Janne Andersson, Sweden coach

 

Scotland 0-2 Czechia

After 23 years of waiting to join in the party at a major tournament, it took just 90 minutes for the hype and hope that has swept Scotland in recent months to make way to a familiar feeling of disappointment.

Czechia silenced a crowd of 12,000 at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Monday with a 2-0 win thanks to two goals and one moment of magic from Patrik Schick that will live long in the memory.

Schick had already headed the visitors into a half-time lead before he fired home from just short of 50 meters early in the second half, having spotted goalkeeper David Marshall well off his line.

"I saw he was out there, so I slammed it in," said the 25-year-old, who was labeled a "genius" by his manager Jaroslav Silhavy.

 

Slovakia 2-1 Poland

Slovakia edged out 10-man Poland 2-1 in Saint Petersburg in Group E.

An own goal from Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny handed Slovakia the lead, before Karol Linetty equalised for Poland.

The Poles were reduced to 10 men on the hour when midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak picked up a second yellow card, and Slovakia made the advantage count as defender Milan Skriniar drove in a well-taken winner.

 

Slovakia's defender Milan Skriniar celebrates scoring the team's second goal during the Group E football match with Poland. /AFP/Kirill Kudaryavtsev

Slovakia's defender Milan Skriniar celebrates scoring the team's second goal during the Group E football match with Poland. /AFP/Kirill Kudaryavtsev

 

Tuesday's fixtures

Hungary v Portugal, Puskas Arena, Budapest, 16:00 GMT

France v Germany, Allianz Arena, Munich, 19:00 GMT

Source(s): AFP

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