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Tag: Euro 2020

  • I’m the happiest man in the world – Benzema

    I’m the happiest man in the world – Benzema

    Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema admits he’s delighted to be part of the France squad.

    Benzema is excited to be back after a five year absence.

    He told Marca: “Sure, I feel like the happiest man in the world. For me, what makes me happiest is my family and football. And I am happy in Madrid, and nothing that I have returned with France to play the European Championship, I can only be proud, happy and looking forward to starting the tournament.

    “It is a very, very strong team throughout, from the goalkeeper to the midfield and the attacks… with players in the best clubs in the world. Then speaking of the favourite is more something that is spoken of outside of here. We know the strength that we have in this team, although you have to show it.

    “Many things have happened after and a lot of time has passed. We have won the World Cup, we have been in the final of the European Championship… I only want to enjoy and win the match. It’s clear that playing against Toni will be different because I am used to playing with him, he plays the ball to me a lot and now he will be my opponent.”

  • Bayern boss to succeed Low as Germany manager

    Bayern boss to succeed Low as Germany manager

    Bayern Munich’s departing manager Hansi Flick will succeed Joachim Low as Germany boss after this summer’s European Championship.

    Low is leaving the role following the delayed Euro 2020, having been in the post since 2006.

    Flick has signed a contract to be Germany manager until 2024.

    “I am hugely excited, because I see the class of players, and especially young players, which we have in Germany,” said the 56-year-old.

    Germany national team director Oliver Bierhoff said: “He was top of my wish list from the very start.”

    Flick announced in April that he was leaving Bayern at the end of the season and will be replaced by RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann.

    Flick was Low’s assistant with Germany from 2006 to 2014, stepping down after they won the World Cup in Brazil.

    He joined Bayern as Niko Kovac’s assistant in the summer of 2019 and took over as interim boss when the former Croatia international was sacked the following November.

    Flick then oversaw a stunning upturn in fortunes, winning the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League in 2019-20, earning a three-year contract.

    Bayern also won the Club World Cup in February, Flick’s sixth trophy in his first 16 months in charge.

    However, this season he was frustrated with the lack of new signings and, despite retaining the Bundesliga title, they were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris St-Germain in the quarter-finals.

  • Benzema in, Martial misses out on France Euro 2020 squad

    Benzema in, Martial misses out on France Euro 2020 squad

    Karim Benzema has received a sensational recall to the France squad for Euro 2020, over five years since he last represented his country.

    The Real Madrid striker scored twice in a 4-0 win over Armenia in October 2015, taking his tally to 27 international goals.

    Benzema then became embroiled in a blackmail scandal involving Les Bleus team-mate Mathieu Valbuena in the weeks after that game.

    He has been subsequently overlooked by national team manager Didier Deschamps, in spite of his outstanding form at club level.

    However, the 33-year-old —- who has scored 29 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid this season —- is undoubtedly the eye-catching name in France’s 26-man party for the upcoming tournament.

    By this, he has added further depth upfront for the reigning world champions.

    “We met, we spoke at length, I then thought very hard and came to make this decision,” Deschamps said of the decision to bring Benzema back in from the cold.

    “I needed this chat, he needed this chat. I don’t want to make this a specific case. As national team manager, I have always looked beyond my personal case. My responsibility is important, but it is bigger than me.”

    There is also a place for Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram, as well as Sevilla defender Jules Kounde.

    Anthony Martial, however, misses out due to fitness concerns.

    The forward suffered a knee injury while playing for France in March, though he could make a return to action for Manchester United before the end of the season.

    “Anthony Martial would have been here but he is not available. His condition does not allow it,” Deschamps revealed during a press conference.

    Teenage midfielder Eduardo Camavinga —- heavily linked with Real Madrid —- is another notable absentee, along with Rennes team-Steven Nzonzi.

    There is also no place for Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy.

    France will play friendly fixtures against Wales and Bulgaria ahead of the delayed European Championship, which was pushed back a year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Deschamps’ side start their Group F campaign against Germany on June 15, followed four days later by a clash with Hungary.

    They complete their round-robin campaign on June 23 by taking on Portugal, the team which defeated them in the Euro 2016 final in Paris.

  • Barca goalkeeper out of Germany’s Euro 2020 squad

    Barca goalkeeper out of Germany’s Euro 2020 squad

    FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will not be part of Germany’s Euro 2020 squad this summer as he will undergo knee surgery.

    “I have decided together with the club’s medical team that I will do a complementary intervention on my knee,” ter Stegen said on Instagram Monday.

    “(But) I’m sad that I will miss the Euro 2020 this summer with Germany.

    “For the first time in many years, I will be a fan at home supporting my country. I hope we win it!”

    The 29-year-old ter Stegen has been the long-time back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who is also Germany captain.

    “We were in talks with Marc,” Germany coach Joachim Loew told the federation (DFB) homepage. “He knows that we value him highly as a world-class goalkeeper.

    “Manu is number one currently and for the Euros, but the players have to be at the highest level and always want to test themselves against the best, in games and in training.

    “Marc will unfortunately be missing for the Euros, but we have further excellent goalkeepers alongside Marc and Manu.”

    The operation is set for May 20 in Malmo, Sweden, and could open the door for Cologne goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to make the squad alongside Bernd Leno of Arsenal.

  • Van Dijk rules himself out of Holland’s Euro 2020 campaign

    Van Dijk rules himself out of Holland’s Euro 2020 campaign

    Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has ruled himself out of playing for the Netherlands at this summer’s European Championship.

    The 29-year-old is recovering from surgery after suffering knee ligament damage in October.

    “I feel physically it is the right decision that I’ve decided not to go to the Euros and to go into my last phase of rehab in the off-season,” said Netherlands captain Van Dijk.

    “It’s tough, but I’m at peace with it.”

    The Euros are taking place between 11 June and 11 July, having been delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Van Dijk said that he had not suffered a setback in his rehabilitation and he had “progressed nicely” but, in the latest stage of his recovery, had decided he could not play at this summer’s tournament.

    “I think the decision to not go is the right decision in the grand scheme of things,” added Van Dijk, speaking to the Liverpool website.

    “I am very gutted to miss the Euros, to miss the European Championship and leading out my own country there, but things have been like they have and I have to accept it – we all have to accept it.

    “I think the decision to not go is the right decision in the grand scheme of things.”

    Van Dijk’s absence for Liverpool, who are sixth in the Premier League as they struggle to secure a Champions League spot, has been compounded by long-term injuries to fellow centre-backs Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

    The Dutchman will now be aiming for the “realistic goal” of returning for pre-season with Liverpool.

    Van Dijk said: “I am aiming for that and it looks like it is going to happen, but obviously you never know in football and you never know in life, but I am feeling very positive and ready to go. We’ll see.”

  • COVID-19: Giggs taking positives from Euro 2020 delay

    COVID-19: Giggs taking positives from Euro 2020 delay

    Wales manager Ryan Giggs says he is trying to “look at the positives” of Euro 2020 being postponed until next summer.

    Uefa made the decision on 18 March to push the event back a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The tournament, due to take place from 12 June-12 July this summer, will now run from 11 June to 11 July next year.

    “We were all geared up for the summer and had good momentum. Of course that’s the negative,” said Giggs.

    “It has obviously changed our plans because we were geared up to perform this summer, we had made a trip to Baku to check things and to Rome but we are just going to replicate everything next year.

    “But I always try to look at the positives. We will hopefully have Joe Allen, which we wouldn’t have had this summer, we will have a fit and firing David Brooks.

    “Also the young players who have done so well will have a year more experience, so there are plenty of positives, but ultimately we were built up for this summer.”

  • BREAKING: UEFA postpones Euro 2020 for one year

    BREAKING: UEFA postpones Euro 2020 for one year

    Union of European Football Associations, UEFA has postponed Euro 2020 until next summer, the Norwegian FA claim.

    Euro 2020 was due to begin on June 12 for one month, but the decision has been made to postpone the finals due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on the sporting calendar.

    The tournament, which involves 24 nations and takes place across 12 host cities, will instead be played in the summer of 2021, starting on June 11 and ending on July 11.

    Details Shortly…

  • Bulgaria coach resigns after racist taunts at England

    Bulgaria coach resigns after racist taunts at England

    Bulgaria’s Krasimir Balakov resigned as coach of the Bulgarian national football team on Friday, drawing the consequences from a racism scandal engulfing his squad.

    “I said that if I’m the problem with Bulgarian football, I won’t think about it for a minute and submit my resignation,’’ state television quoted him as saying.

    In the Euro 2020 qualifier against England on Monday, black English players were subjected to racist abuse, with fans making monkey noises and some giving Nazi salutes.

    Bulgaria lost 6-0 to England and has no chance of participating in the 2020 finals.

    Balakov had originally said he didn’t hear any chanting and had accused England of having more problems with racism than Bulgaria.

    He later backtracked and apologised.

    The entire executive committee of the Bulgarian Football Federation (BFS) also resigned.

    The association is facing harsh sanctions from the European football union UEFA.

    Police later arrested several of the alleged perpetrators.

    An 18-year-old Bulgarian remains in custody.

  • Spain draw 1-1 with Sweden to qualify for Euro 2020

    Spain draw 1-1 with Sweden to qualify for Euro 2020

    A stoppage-time strike by substitute Rodrigo cancelled out Marcus Berg’s opener for Sweden and gave Spain the draw they needed to qualify for Euro 2020 in a Group F game that finished 1-1 on Tuesday.

    Spain dominated the opening 20 minutes and looked set to easily book their berth in next year’s finals but Sweden goalkeeper Robin Olsen pulled off a string of superb saves as his side grew into the game.

    Striker Berg put Sweden in front early in the second half after his initial header was saved, as was Emil Forsberg’s shot, but Berg nodded home from close range at the second attempt to give his side the lead.

    Spain goalkeeper David De Gea left the fray injured on the hour mark and, despite plenty of possession, the Spaniards had to wait until stoppage time to get an equalizer.

    Rodrigo finally found a way past Olsen, firing home to send his group-leading side to the finals.

  • Euro 2020: Switzerland revive chances with win, Ireland hopes hanging

    Euro 2020: Switzerland revive chances with win, Ireland hopes hanging

    Switzerland revived their hopes of qualifying directly for Euro 2020 with a nervous 2-0 win in rain-soaked Geneva on Tuesday which threw their group wide open.

    In the process they denied their opponents Ireland the chance to book their place early.

    Ireland would have qualified with a win but that never looked likely from the moment that Haris Seferovic gave Switzerland a 16th-minute lead.

    Ireland had a let-off when Ricardo Rodriguez saw a second-half penalty saved before an own goal by Shane Duffy in stoppage time ensured three points for the hosts.

    Ireland and Denmark top Group D on 12 points apiece with the Swiss one behind.

    However, Ireland have only one match left, at home to Denmark, while the Danes and Swiss still have two each to play.

    Switzerland have a much easier run-in as they host Georgia and visit Gibraltar in their final games.

    Switzerland took early control and Seferovic picked up a loose ball outside the penalty area and scored with a snapshot beyond Darren Randolph to put them ahead.

    Ireland had to wait 42 minutes for their first effort on target, a Duffy header from a corner which went straight to keeper Yann Sommer.

    Seferovic fired wildly over from a good position before halftime and, as the hosts became edgy, Ireland enjoyed a long period of pressure early in the second half.

    After Randolph turned a Fabian Schaer header onto the post, Switzerland won a penalty when Seamus Coleman blocked Breel Embolo’s shot with his hand and was sent off for a second bookable offence.

    Yet Rodriguez’s weak penalty from a stuttering run up was pushed onto the post by Randolph.

    Switzerland finally settled matters with the last kick of the game courtesy of Duffy, who slid Edimilson Fernandes’ shot into his own net.

    Georgia, who cannot qualify from the group, won 3-2 away to Gibraltar in the other game.

    Giorgi Kharaishvili and Jaba Kankava put Georgia 2-0 ahead after 21 minutes.

    But Gibraltar, still without a point, hit back to equalise through Lee Casciaro and Roy Chipolina in an eight-minute spell in the second half.

    It was all in vain, however, as Giorgi Kvilitaia grabbed Georgia’s winner six minutes from fulltime. (