TOP HEADLINES:

• We're into the quarter finals, but the political heat is being turned up on UEFA. Germany's interior minister has called European soccer's governing body "utterly irresponsible" for allowing big crowds at the tournament.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) said the mixing of crowds in Euro 2020 host cities, travel and easing of social restrictions had driven up the number of new cases by 10 percent. UEFA said it was fully aligned with local health authorities' guidelines at every venue.

• Doctors battling record numbers of COVID-19 deaths in St. Petersburg are watching with unease as soccer fans gather for the next Euro 2020 match to be played at one of its stadiums. Russia's second city, which reported more than 100 deaths per day this week, hosts the quarter-final between Spain and Switzerland on Friday. It is the city's seventh Euro 2020 match.

• Some pandemic restrictions have been imposed, including a 50 percent limit on stadium capacity and a requirement that fans wear masks. "As a doctor I am of course against the holding of any mass events," Alexei Dmitriev said at the Mariinskaya hospital. "Of course we expect a surge in patients after such mass events are held," he said.

• One man who'll be watching from a safe distance in London is Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, currently competing at Wimbledon. "My schedule will be organized accordingly so I will not miss that," he told a post-match press conference on Thursday.

• Italy has warned any fans from England not to try to use loopholes in COVID-19 travel restrictions to sneak into the quarter-final clash with Ukraine in Rome on Saturday, even if they have a ticket. Italy made allowances for business travelers but said anyone in the country on that basis would not be allowed in the stadium.

• Non-essential travel from the Ukraine to Italy is not permitted currently, with some exceptions. This means that fans from the Ukraine will not be able to travel to Italy for the match, unless one of the essential travel reasons applies to them.

• England midfielder Jack Grealish has said captain Harry Kane is the best player he has ever played with and tipped his captain to break the Premier League scoring record (currently held by Alan Shearer). Kane drew a blank in each of England's three group games but scored the second goal in Tuesday's win over Germany.

FRIDAY'S FIXTURES

Switzerland vs Spain, Gazprom Arena, St Petersburg: 4 p.m. GMT 

It's the first ever quarter-final for the Swiss. The Spanish have been crowned European champions three times and have beaten the Swiss 16 times in 22 matches.

However, Spain coach Luis Enrique described Switzerland as one of the hardest-working and most cohesive teams at the European Championship, despite having few household names and predicted a gruelling match for his side on Friday.

Belgium vs Italy, Allianz Arena, Munich: 7 p.m. GMT 

Belgium captain Eden Hazard and playmaker Kevin de Bruyne are still doubtful, coach Roberto Martinez has said. The availability of both players has Belgium on tenterhooks ahead of the match after they were forced off the pitch injured in the last-16 clash with Portugal on Sunday.

De Bruyne suffered an ankle injury, while Hazard pulled a hamstring and they have not trained this week, including on Thursday morning before the team flew to Germany. 

Both sides have won their last 14 UEFA championship matches and tonight's winner will set a new record. Italy have won 14 of the sides' 22 meetings, although Belgium won the only previous European championship quarter-final between them, in 1972.

SATURDAY'S FIXTURES

Denmark vs Czechia, Baku Olympic Stadium, Azerbaijan: 4 p.m. GMT

England vs Ukraine, Stadio Olimpico, Rome: 7 p.m. GMT