UEFA
Record-Breaker Lionel Messi Can Guide PSG to Champions League Crown
Lionel Messi became a free agent on July 1, although he was anticipated to re-sign with FC Barcelona. However, on Thursday (August 5) Barcelona confirmed that they will not sign Messi due to financial regulations by La Liga. Just five days after the announcement, French club PSG have signed Lionel Messi for a two-year deal with an option for a third year. PSG have become an immediate favorite to win the Champions League next season after acquiring Messi on a free transfer. Here we will discus Lionel Messi's illustrious football career and how he can guide PSG to Champions League crown.
Details of Lionel Messi's PSG contract
Europe's big teams began contacting Messi's management in an attempt to sign him following the announcement that Lionel Messi will not sign a new contract with Barca. However, only PSG had the available funds and ambition to recruit the former Barcelona forward.
Read Lionel Messi signs 2-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain
Lionel Messi's father Jorge Messi immediately contacted the Paris Saint-Germain hierarchy to secure the deal as early as possible. The contract talks moved quickly, and Lionel Messi and his family landed in Paris on Tuesday (August 10) to finalize the paperwork.
After completing his medicals, Lionel Messi formally signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain in the presence of President Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sports director Leonardo.The 34-year-old reportedly agreed to a two-year contract that includes a base salary of €25 million after taxes, with an extra €10 million in bonuses.According to sources, the Argentine will also get a €25 million signing bonus, as well as a third-year option on the same financial conditions.
Read Lionel Messi is Leaving Barcelona Despite Wanting to Stay
The Role Lionel Messi will Play at PSG
Lionel Messi refused to take Neymar's number 10 jersey. Instead, he's opted for the number 30 jersey. Messi began his professional career with Barcelona with this jersey number and he wants to start fresh at PSG with this concept.
Messi's primary responsibility at PSG would be to build lethal attacking combinations with Neymar and Mbappe. He could play as a false 9 on the right wing or in the center. Messi may drop into the middle if necessary to create a holistic attack on the opposition defense.
Read Lionel Messi Contract: PSG Set to Sign Former Barcelona Forward
Messi's football knowledge and experience will be crucial in reviving the squad. The Paris Saint-Germain side would be much more balanced and positive with the inclusion of two veteran former La Liga players Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi.
Ramos and Messi have both won the Champions League four times and know what it takes to win Europe's most coveted club competition. Their presence will be vital, particularly in the knockout stages. That's why Lionel Messi may lead PSG to their first Champions League title.
Aside from Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, PSG have also signed Georginio Wijnaldum, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Achraf Hakimi during the summer transfer window 2021.
Read Messi breaks down, says he wasn’t ready to leave Barcelona
At a Glance: Lionel Messi's Remarkable Football Career
Lionel Messi has a long list of achievements to his name, both with his club and for his country. His major success, though, has come at the club level.
Lionel Messi made his professional debut for Barcelona against Porto at the Camp Nou stadium on November 16, 2003. Messi won 35 titles and 672 goals in 778 games during his 17 years at FC Barcelona.
Read PSG explores Messi signing; Pochettino in contact
With Barcelona, Lionel Messi won 10 La Liga trophies, four Champions Leagues, seven Copa Del Rays, eight Supercopa de Espana, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups. Lionel Messi has also won a record-breaking six Ballon d'Or awards.
Lionel Messi broke several club, La Liga, European, and world records during his stint at FC Barcelona. From a teenage star at Barcelona, he has grown into one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Lionel Messi has only won one major trophy with Argentina's national team. He won the Copa America 2021 trophy in Brazil. However, Messi has appeared in four Copa America finals as well as the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil. At age level tournament, Messi won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005 and the gold medal at the Summer Olympics 2008 in Beijing.
Read End of an era: Barcelona says Messi won’t stay with the club
Lionel Messi is expected to play at the highest level for at least two more seasons. We can anticipate him to break more records and dazzle football fans in the coming years.
Verdict
Ligue 1 club PSG are currently the strong favourite to win the 2021/2022 Champions League trophy following their marquee signings during the summer transfer window. Also, Lionel Messi's incredible career achievements indicate that he is a true winner who can really help PSG go to the next level.
Veterans Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi will provide stability to the team. Their experience will be crucial if Paris Saint-Germain are to win the Champions League for the first time. It would be difficult for other teams to stop PSG if they can maintain consistency in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Read Copa America 2021: Lionel Messi vs Neymar da Silva
Maradona Super Cup: Argentina vs. Italy
We are all familiar with a one-off contest between the champions at the club level. However, international football does not have such a competition, with the exception of the confederations cup, which is contested every four years. A 'Super Cup' between the Copa America 2021 and UEFA EURO 2020 winners is now being proposed. If all goes according to plan, we may see a match between South America and European football champions later this year. The Maradona Super Cup would be the name of the trophy. The Prediction of the one-off tie between Argentina vs. Italy is discussed in this article.
Argentina vs. Italy: Who is favorite to win Maradona Super Cup?
Argentina and Italy are two of the world's football superpowers. So, they always enter any competition as title contenders. Argentina have won 17 major trophies at the international level, including two World Cups (1978 and 1986). On the other side, Italy, have won six major trophies, including four World Cups (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006).
Argentina and Italy have met each other 15 times in a head-to-head battle. Italy have won five times, Argentina have won four times, and four games have ended in a tie. Argentina haven't lost a match against Italy since 1987.
Read:Ballon d'Or 2021 Predictions: Lionel Messi in Pole Position to Win the Coveted Award
They have met five times in the World Cup. Argentina won a match against Italy at the 1990 World Cup, while Italy have won two matches against Argentina. In their last meeting on March 23, 2018, Argentina defeated Italy 2-0 in a friendly match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
Argentina have won the South American Championship for the first time in 28 years, beating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America 2021 final. Argentina had previously won the Copa America in 1993. Argentina appeared in five finals despite failing to win a trophy in the previous three decades, including four Copa America (2004, 2007, 2015, and 2016) and the 2014 World Cup.
Read:Euro 2020: Police investigate racist abuse of 3 England footballers
On the other side, Italy have won the European Championship for the second time after defeating England in a penalty shootout in the Euro 2020 final. Italy won its first European Championship in the year 1968. Aside from that, the Italian national team were having a difficult time following their 2006 World Cup victory. They have gained a lot of confidence after winning a major tournament for the first time in 15 years.
Given the overall strength of the two squads, Italy will edge over Argentina. Because Italy have some of the best footballers in the world while Argentine have a fantastic team understanding. Led by Messi, the relatively less talented Argentina team is capable of flourishing against any opponent.
Read:EURO 2020 Final: Italy Seal European Football Championship
Because the Maradona Super Cup will be a one-off affair, the side that can perform at its best on any given day will be crowned champion. The ideal playing XI for both teams if the match is held in the near future.
Probable Starting XI (Argentina)
Emiliano Martinez (GK), Molina, Pezzella, Tagilafico, Romero, Rodríguez, Paredes, Di María, Gómez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez
Probable Starting XI (Italy)
Donnarumma (GK), Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Chiellini, Bonucci, Jorginho, Barella, Verratti, Chiesa, Insigne, Immobile
Read:Racist abuse targets 3 English players who missed penalties
Verdict
In honor of the late football legend Diego Armando Maradona, the proposed Maradona Super Cup between Argentina and Italy will most likely be held in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples. The associations of European Football and South American Football are already in talks to arrange a date for the showdown between the Copa America 2021 and UEFA EURO 2020 champions. Italy will be a strong candidate to win the one-off contest as they have a more balanced squad than Argentina. However, Lionel Messi's Argentina will do everything to win the tie as a homage to Diego Maradona. It will definitely be a fascinating contest.
Read Copa America 2021 Final: Di Maria’s Early Strike Sinks Brazil
Longtime tormentor Italy stands in way of Spain at Euro 2020
They are opponents who have long struck fear into the heart of Spanish soccer.
The Italians: tough, defensively strong, cynical. Winners by whatever means possible — or so it was widely perceived in Spain anyway.
And Luis Enrique knows all about it.
Read:Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020
The current Spain coach was a member of the national team that was beaten by Italy 1-0 in the 1994 World Cup quarterfinals. As famous as the 88th-minute winning goal by Roberto Baggio was the elbow to Luis Enrique’s face administered by Italy’s hard man in defense, Mauro Tassotti.
The violent act went unpunished during the game — Tassotti would later get an eight-match ban — but wasn’t forgotten in Spain. The photo of an anguished Luis Enrique, blood pouring from his broken nose onto a splattered white towel, has gone down in history, and is often brought out whenever the two rivals meet.
Like they will at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday in the European Championship semifinals.
“We’ve spoken a few times since but that’s in the past, part of footballing history,” Luis Enrique said Monday about the incident with Tassotti. “Both of us, of course, would’ve preferred that had gone differently but there’s nothing more to say.”
Actually, Luis Enrique doesn’t appear to hold any grudges toward the Azzurri, his feelings possibly changing after spending a year coaching Italian club Roma in the 2011-12 season.
“It’s a country I’m very fond of,” he said. “Whenever I’ve a bit of free time, I always like to visit Italy. It’s lovely to come up against the Azzurri — it’s always very nice.”
Many in Spain would disagree.
For 88 years, Spain didn’t beat Italy in a competitive match and an inferiority complex naturally grew. A clash of styles — typically attacking Spain against defensive Italy — always went one way.
Also read: Euro2020 semi-finalists have been determined
Until 2008, that is. That was when a weight was lifted from a nation as Spain defeated Italy in a penalty shootout in Vienna in the European Championship quarterfinals on its way to its first continental title in 44 years.
Four years later, Spain would beat Italy again at Euro 2012, this time 4-0 in Kyiv for the most lop-sided score in a final in the tournament’s history.
Yet Spain’s title defense was ended in the last 16 five years ago by a limited but tactically superior Italy coached by Antonio Conte, which won 2-0 in Paris.
The teams, then, will be meeting in a fourth straight tournament. This match promises to be different, though, purely because of the way Italy’s approach has altered since Roberto Mancini took over as coach in 2018.
Sure, the trademark Italian robustness in defense is still there, but the team has an attacking swagger these days and also has become more of a passing team. They’re not in Spain’s league in terms of possession, but then again who is?
“We’re leaders in the possession stats, but they too are a side who enjoy playing with the ball. So that’s going to be the first battle to win,” Luis Enrique said. “But they’re also very good without the ball. We need the ball. We want to have it.”
Spain has the squad with youngest average age in the tournament — at 24.1 years — and there’s a sense that Luis Enrique feels his players have exceeded expectations by reaching the semifinals.
It’s why he was so proud of getting past Switzerland in the quarterfinals, albeit with the need of a penalty shootout.
Also read: Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020
“It’s impossible to understate this,” he said. “We’re not an experienced national team.”
Indeed, when it comes to being streetwise at international level, few can top the Italians.
A clip of Italy striker Ciro Immobile falling dramatically in the area and apparently feigning injury during the win over Belgium in the quarterfinals, only for him to instantly spring to his feet moments later after Nicola Barella scored the opening goal, has been spread widely over social media.
Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci laughed it off on Monday, saying “the joy and excitement of a goal in matches such as these means you don’t experience any more pain.” But to some it was another classic example of gamesmanship.
It’s why players like Champions League winners Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will be so important for Spain to guide the team’s younger players at Wembley.
“We’re not an experienced team,” Luis Enrique said, “but it doesn’t mean we don’t have experience of the game. Many of our players have played at a very high level and are used to these games.
“I just hope we’re up to the challenge.”
Euro2020 semi-finalists have been determined
The semi-finalists of the UEFA Euro 2020 have been determined. The final matches of the quarter-finals were held on Saturday.
In the quarterfinals, Italy beat Belgium in Munich (2:1), the Spanish national team defeated the Swiss team in St. Petersburg (1:1, 3:1 - on penalties), Denmark in Baku beat Czech Republic (2:1), and England defeated Ukraine in Rome (4:0).
Also read: Denmark beats Czechs 2-1 to reach Euro 2020 semifinals
The semi-finals will have the matches between Italy - Spain on July 6 and England vs. Denmark on July 7. Both meetings will take place in London at Wembley Stadium. The final will take place in the same arena on July 11.
The current European champion is the Portuguese national team, which in 2016 beat the hosts of the tournament, France (1:0).
Also read: Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020
Argentina, Italy Keen to End Continental Trophy Droughts
Prior to the start of Copa America 2021, Brazil were a clear favourites to retain the title. As the tournament progressed, Argentina have shown more consistency and a stronger determination to win their first Copa America championship in 28 years.On the other side, Italy were considered one of the outsiders to lift the UEFA EURO 2020, with many football experts predicting Belgium and France as the favourites.However, Italy have shown more maturity and have played some of the most exciting football in the competition. Argentina and Italy are both keen to end their continental trophy droughts, as discussed in this article.
Why Argentina are favourites to win the Copa America 2021?
Argentina have always been one of the favorites in the South American Championship, but they haven't won the Copa America since 1993 despite reaching the final four times during this time.This is Lionel Messi's final Copa America tournament, and they should win it in his honor.
Argentina's Copa America campaign in 2021 started with a 1-1 draw against Chili, but they went on to win the remainder of their group stage matches and the quarter-final encounter against Ecuador.
Read UEFA EURO 2020: Quarter Finals Preview
Argentina will play against Colombia in their semifinal match at EstádioNacionalManéGarrincha in Brasilia on Wednesday. Argentina should easily qualify for the final based on their current form, and we can anticipate them to face Brazil in the championship match.
So the question remains, how will this rejuvenated Argentina team perform against the Brazilian side in this year's final?
Consistency is one of the most important factors. Argentina have improved and displayed more consistency in the competition. Initially, they were shaky, but Argentina have since played with a lot of confidence. Importantly, this set of players believes they can win the tournament.
Read Copa America 2021: Quarter Finals Preview
On the other hand, Brazil have struggled in their past two matches and would need to re-establish their rhythm before the crucial final. If they can't, Argentina will seize the opportunity to win a record 15th South American Championship.
Three important players for Argentina
Romero (Defender), Lionel Messi (Forward), Lautaro Martinez (Forward)
Probable Playing XI
Martinez (GK), Tagilafico, Romero, Molina, Pezzella, Rodríguez, Di María, Paredes, Lionel Messi, Gómez, Lautaro Martinez
Read Denmark beats Czechs 2-1 to reach Euro 2020 semifinals
Copa America 2021 Semifinal & Final Fixtures
Date
Match
Venue & Time (BST)
Semifinal
July 6 (Tuesday)
Brazil vs Peru
Rio de Janeiro (5 AM)
July 7 (Wednesday)
Argentinavs Colombia
Brasília (7 AM)
Third place play off
July 10 (Saturday)
Loser Match 25 vs Loser Match 26
Brasília (6 AM)
Final
July 11 (Sunday)
Winner Match 25 vs Winner Match 26
Rio de Janeiro (6 AM)
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica
Read Brazil beats Chile at Copa America despite 2nd-half red card
Why Italy are favourites to win the UEFA EURO 2020?
Italy haven't won a major trophy since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and they haven't won the European Championship since 1968. So, Italy will be hoping to win their second UEFA EURO Championship this year.
Many experts anticipated that Italy would have a slim chance of winning the tournament, but they have surpassed expectations by playing the most entertaining brand of football in the game.
They finished top in the group stage points table but struggled a bit in the Round of 16 match against Austria. However, Italy had demonstrated their true capabilities in the quarter-final match against hot favourites Belgium, winning 2-1 and securing a spot in the semifinal.
Read Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020
Italy should win against Spain in the semifinal, but they will have to fight hard against England, who are in great form at the moment. While, after defeating Belgium, Italy are full of confidence and will make it difficult for England to win their first European Championship trophy.
Argentina and Italy are both confident that they will end their continental trophy droughts with their current form.
Three important players for Italy
Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini (Defender), Insigne (Forward)
Probable Playing XI
Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini, Bonucci, Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Barella, Jorginho, Chiesa, Verratti, Insigne, Immobile
Read Spain beats Switzerland in penalty shootout
UEFA EURO 2020 Semifinal & Final Fixtures
Date
Match
Venue & Time (BST)
Semifinal
July 7 (Wednesday)
Italyvs Spain
Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM)
July 8 (Thursday)
Englandvs Denmark
Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM)
Final
July 12 (Monday)
Winner Match 49
vs
Winner Match 50
Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM)
Sources: https://www.uefa.com/
Read BPL, BCL Football matches postponed
Verdict
After analyzing the qualities of the teams and current form, it is clear that Argentina and Italy are both keen to end their continental trophy droughts. Argentina are the overwhelming favourites to win Copa America 2021. But their most likely final opponent, Brazil will make it difficult for them.On the other hand, England are in excellent condition and will give it their best to win their first European championship. However, Italy are now a strong favourites to win their second UEFA EURO Championship, especially after eliminating Belgium in the quarter-final. Overall, we expect the best teams will win their respective tournaments.
Read BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani earn 2-0 victory over Ctg Abahani
UEFA EURO 2020: Quarter Finals Preview
The quarter-final lineups for EURO 2020 were confirmed following the end of the exciting Round of 16 phase on Wednesday. FIFA's no.1 ranked team Belgium are the clear favorite to win the European Championship this year. On the other side, England will be aiming to win their first-ever EURO trophy. Belgium will meet a rejuvenated Italian national team in the quarterfinals, while England will face Ukraine. The match between the Czech Republic and Denmark is likely to be the most thrilling one in the quarter-final phase. Who can qualify for the UEFA EURO 2020 Semi-Finals is discussed in this article.
Read:Copa America 2021: Quarter Finals Preview
Who are the favorites to advance to the semifinals?
1st Quarter-Final (Switzerlandvs. Spain)
Venue: Saint Petersburg | Date: July 2 | Time (BST): 10 pm
Verdict: Spain 2-1 Switzerland
Spain will be the favorite against Switzerland to qualify to the semifinals following their stunning performance in the Round of 16 encounter against Croatia. But we can't deny that Switzerland stunned the tournament's favorite France in the last round, and they'll do as much as they can to keep the momentum going.
Spain’s probable starting XI
UnaiSimón (GK), Azpilicueta, Laporte, Eric García, Alba, Busquets, Pedri, Koke, Sarabia, Ferran Torres, Morata.
Switzerland’s probable starting XI
Sommer (GK), Elvedi, Rodríguez, Akanji, Widmer, Freuler, Zakaria, Zuber, Embolo, Seferović, Shaqiri.
Read:UEFA Euro 2020: Meet the Quarter-Finalists
2nd Quarter-Final (Belgium vs. Italy)
Venue: Munich | Date: July 3 | Time (BST): 1 am
Verdict: Belgium 2-1 Italy (Extra Time)
This is, without a doubt, the most eagerly anticipated match of the quarter-finals round. The world no.1 team Belgium will have to work hard to defeat a traditional powerhouse Italy. This Italian team is performing well in this tournament and is ready to eliminate Belgium from the competition.
Belgium’s probable starting XI
Courtois (GK), Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Thorgan Hazard, Witsel, Tielemans, Eden Hazard, Meunier, Kevin De Bruyne, Lukaku.
Italy’s probable starting XI
Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini, Bonucci, Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Barella, Jorginho, Chiesa, Verratti, Insigne, Immobile.
Read:England beats Germany 2-0 to reach Euro 2020 quarterfinals
3rd Quarter-Final (Czech Republic vs Denmark)
Venue: Baku | Date: July 3 | Time (BST): 10 pm
Verdict:Czech Republic 2-3Denmark (Extra Time)
We can anticipate a fierce battle between the Czech Republic and Denmark in the third quarter-final match. The Czech Republic beat the Netherlands in the previous round, while Denmark crushed Wales 4-0. The confidence of both teams is at its peak now. The team that takes the least pressure during the game will win.
Czech Republic’s probable starting XI
Vaclik (GK), Boril, Kalas, Coufal, Celustka, Soucek, Holes, Barak, Jankto, Schick, Masopust.
Denmark’s probable starting XI
Schmeichel (GK), Christensen, Vestergaard, Andersen, Maehle, Højbjerg, Delaney, Larsen, Dolberg, Damsgaard, Braithwaite.
Read:Copa America 2021: Teams Qualified For Quarter Finals, Fixtures
4th Quarter-Final (Ukraine vs. England)
Venue: Rome | Date: July 4 | Time (BST): 1 am
Verdict: Ukraine 0-2 England
England have a fantastic opportunity to win the European Football Championship for the first time. They defeated Germany 2-0 in the Round of 16 and will face Ukraine in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, Ukraine defeated Sweden in the previous round and will give it all in this encounter.
Ukraine’s probable starting XI
Bushchan (GK), Matvienko, Zabarnuyl, Kryvtsov, Karavaev, Stepanenko, Shaparenko, Sydorchuk, Yarmolenko, Zinchenko, Yaremchuk.
England’s probable starting XI
Jordan Pickford (GK), Maguire, Stones, Trippier, Walker, Grealish, Shaw, Rice, Phillips, Sterling, Kane.
Read:Swiss beat France on penalties at Euro 2020
Verdict
According to the quarter-finals schedule, Spain and England are the two clear favorites to proceed to the next round of the UEFA EURO 2020. Meanwhile, Belgium will have a slight advantage over their quarter-final opponent. We expect the best teams will advance to the semi-finals. The second elimination round of the tournament will commence on July 2nd (Friday).
UEFA Euro 2020: Meet the Quarter-Finalists
The first knockout round of the ongoing EURO 2020 tournament came to an end on Wednesday, June 30th. The Round of 16 featured some thrilling encounters and finally, eight teams have qualified for the quarterfinals of this year European Championship. Hot favorite Belgium knocked out reigning champion Portugal, while Switzerland stunned 2018 World Cup winner France in a penalty shootout. Therefore, we can expect more exciting matches in the quarter-finals stage. The second knockout round of the competition will start on July 2nd (Friday). The teams who qualified for the UEFA EURO 2020 quarterfinals and fixtures has been discussed in this article.
UEFA EURO 2020 Quarter-Finalists
Eight teams have qualified for the quarterfinals in the 16th edition of the European Football Championship. Let's see who have advanced to the second knock-out round of the tournament.
Wales vs. Denmark
Result: Denmark win 4-0
There was a lot of expectation from Gareth Bale’s Wales side prior to their Round of 16 clash against Denmark. But Wales were comprehensively outplayed by Denmark in the Amsterdam stadium in the Netherlands, and eventually lost 4-0. The game was fairly one-sided, as Denmark took complete control after taking an early lead. Denmark's top player was Kasper Dolberg, who scored two goals in the 27th and 48th minutes.
Read:England beats Germany 2-0 to reach Euro 2020 quarterfinals
Italy vs Austria
Result: Italy win 2-1(Extra Time)
The four-time World Cup champion Italy had a fantastic time in the group stage but labored in their first knockout round encounter against Austria. Italy had to play extra time to qualify for the quarter-finals. Federico Chiesa (95) and Matteo Pessina (105) both scored in the 2-1 victory for Italy over Austria.
Read:Copa America 2021: Teams Qualified For Quarter Finals, Fixtures
Netherlands vs Czech Republic
Result: Czech Republic win 2-0
The Czech Republic upset the Netherlands in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 victory. The Netherlands were expecting a comprehensive victory, but the Czech Republic had other ideas, and they were keen to make a statement in the encounter. However, the Czech Republic had the advantage after Matthijs de Light's red card in the 55th minute.
Read Toppers of the DPL T20 2021
Belgium vs Portugal
Result: Belgium win 1-0
Belgium midfielder Throgan Hazard's stunning goal rocked the reigning European Champion Portugal and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Hazard's lone goal in the 42nd minute was enough to knock Portugal out of the competition.
Croatia vs Spain
Result: Spain win 5-3 (Extra Time)
It was one of the most thrilling Round of 16 games. Croatia surprisingly leveled the score in injury time, but ultimately lost the match 5-3 after extra time. The 2010 World Cup champion Spain now seems to have a good chance to reach the final.
Read:Swiss beat France on penalties at Euro 2020
France vs Switzerland
Result: Switzerland win 5-4 (Penalty shootout)
It was the most shocking result in the Round of 16 stage because France were the favorite to win this year's European tournament. First and foremost, scoring three goals against France was a significant accomplishment, and later Switzerland went on to win the match in a penalty shootout.
England vs Germany
Result: England win 2-0
This English national team is regarded as one of the best in their football history, therefore there is a lot of expectation from the British fans. The 'Three Lions' beat Germany 2-0 in the tournament's first knockout stage, thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane.
Read Messi Reaches Another Milestone as Argentina Win Tough Match at Copa America 2021
Sweden vs Ukraine
Result: Ukraine win 2-1 (Extra Time)
Ukraine emerged victorious in the final Round of 16 fixtures on Tuesday. They have advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Sweden 2-1 in extra time. Ukraine will face one of the favorites England in the next round.
Read Bangladesh’s Test, ODI, T20 Squads Analysis for BAN vs ZIM Series 2021
EURO 2020 Quarter-Final Fixtures
Date
Match
Venue & Time (BST)
July 2 (Friday)
Switzerland vs Spain
St Petersburg (10 PM)
July 3 (Saturday)
Belgium vs Italy
Munich (1 AM)
July 3 (Saturday)
Czech Republicvs Denmark
Baku (10 PM)
July 4 (Sunday)
Ukraine vs England
Rome (1 AM)
Sources: https://www.uefa.com/
Read:Belgium edges Portugal, reaches quarterfinals at Euro 2020
Bottom Line
We saw several upsets in the UEFA EURO 2020 round of 16, which makes the tournament even more intriguing for everyone. Among the hot favorites, only Belgium and England still remain in the competition. However, we can anticipate the deserving national team to win the trophy in the end.There will not be easy games in the quarterfinals. The teams must give it their all to advance to the semi-finals.
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UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16 Qualified Teams, Fixtures
The group stage of the ongoing Euro 2020 tournament came to an end on Wednesday. We had seen some thrilling matches in this round and had to wait until the final group stage matchups to find out who would advance to the next round. 16 teams have qualified for the first knockout round at the completion of the first phase of the tournament. All the expected teams have reached the next round. The first knockout round of the competition will begin on Saturday. The qualified teams and fixtures of the UEFA Euro 2020 round of 16 have been covered in this article.
Qualified Teams for the Round of 16
The top two teams from each of the six groups, as well as the top four third-place teams across all groups, have qualified for the round of 16 of UEFA Euro 2020. Let's see which teams from each group have advanced to the next round.
Group A
Italy topped group A with the most points (9), followed by Wales, Switzerland, and Turkey. Wales and Switzerland have also progressed to the next round of the championship.
Read:Messi Reaches Another Milestone as Argentina Win Tough Match at Copa America 2021
Group B
Hot favorite Belgium won all three matches in group B and finished first in the standings. Denmark, Finland, and Russia all earned three points, but Denmark took second place due to a better goal difference. The Danish national team have qualified for the Round of 16 in the European Championship.
Group C
The Netherlands finished first in the group stage with 9 points after winning all of their matches. North Macedonia failed to qualify for the knockout stage, while Austria and Ukraine both have advanced for the next round.
Group D
One of the favorites of the tournament England topped the Group D points table followed by Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Scotland. The Czech Republic and Croatia have advanced to the round of 16 of the European Championship.
Read European Football Season 2020-21: Individual Award Winners
Group E
Sweden claimed the top spot of group E, while Spain had to settle for second place in the points standings. They've both progressed to the next round. Slovakia and Poland were unable to qualify for the knockout stage.
Group F
Hot favorite France finished top in the group of death with 5 points. Germany and Portugal have both qualified to the next round, but Hungary came in fourth in the points table and did not make it to the last 16.
Read:Depay, Wijnaldum score, Netherlands beats NMacedonia 3-0
Fixtures of the Round of 16
Date
Match
Venue & Time (BST)
Jun 26 (Saturday)
Wales vs Denmark
Amsterdam (10 PM)
June 27 (Sunday)
Italy vs Austria
London (1 AM)
June 27 (Sunday)
Netherlands vs Czech Republic
Budapest (10 PM)
June 28 (Monday)
Belgium vs Portugal
Seville (1 AM)
June 28 (Monday)
Croatia vs Spain
Copenhagen (10 PM)
June 29 (Tuesday)
France vs Switzerland
Bucharest (1 AM)
June 29 (Tuesday)
England vs Germany
London (10 PM)
June 30 (Wednesday)
Sweden vs Ukraine
Glasgow (1 AM)
Sources: https://www.uefa.com/
Read:Wembley may have 65,000 fans for Euro 2020 semifinals, final
Bottom Line
The best national teams in Europe have qualified for the round of 16 stage of the UEFA Euro 2020 competition. So, we can anticipate the deserving team to win the championship in the end.Defending champion Portugal will face hot favorite Belgium in the next round, making it extremely difficult for them to retain the title. Though, no match in the round of sixteen will be easy. The teams must perform at their best to advance to the quarterfinals.
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Wembley may have 65,000 fans for Euro 2020 semifinals, final
UEFA is in talks with the British government about increasing the attendance at Wembley Stadium to 65,000 for the semifinals and final of the European Championship, people with knowledge of the discussions said Monday.
The government had already agreed to increase the current group-stage capacity of about 22,000 to at least 40,000 for one game in the round of 16 game and the final three matches of the Euro 2020 tournament at the 90,000-seat stadium.
UEFA hopes to increase that further by securing more quarantine exemptions for visitors, including sponsors and VIPs, the people told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private talks.
There are fears Britain is seeing the start of a third wave of coronavirus infections with cases rising to 68,449 over the last seven days. The resurgence, which is the result of the delta variant first identified in India, led Italian Premier Mario Draghi to call for moving the Euro 2020 final away from Britain.
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“I advocate that the final should not take place in a country in which the risk of infection is very big,” Draghi said Monday.
Italy’s team has to fly to London this week for a last-16 game against Austria at Wembley on Saturday.
Last week, UEFA said it was in talks with authorities in London about allowing fans of the participating teams to attend the semifinals and final by staying in the country less than 24 hours and staying within bubbles.
UEFA raised the prospect of taking the games from London — with Budapest as a backup — if there was not an agreement regarding fans coming to London.
READ: France held to 1-1 draw by Hungary at Euro 2020
Tourists from all the non-British nations competing at Euro 2020 have to quarantine for at least five days upon arrival in the country under general pandemic regulations to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
UEFA asks Euro 2020 teams to stop removing sponsor bottles
Reacting to a bottle-snatching trend at the European Championship started by Cristiano Ronaldo, players on the 24 teams have been asked to stop removing strategically placed sponsor drinks from the news conference platforms, UEFA said Thursday.
Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Manuel Locatelli all removed sponsor bottles away from the view of cameras when taking their seats at this week.
Euro 2020 tournament director Martin Kallen said UEFA has “communicated with the teams regarding this matter.”
“It is important because the revenues of the sponsors are important for the tournament and for European football,” Kallen said in a briefing.
Pogba, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, objected to the distinctive green bottle of official Euro 2020 beer sponsor Heineken. The beer is marketed as 0.0% alcohol.
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Kallen said tournament rules require compliance with UEFA’s promises to sponsors, though players with religious objections “don’t need to have a bottle there.”
Pogba had to take questions in the interview room after being named best player in France’s 1-0 win over Germany on Tuesday. The player awards are sponsored by the brewer.
Ronaldo started the trend on Monday at a mandatory pre-game news conference by hiding two Coca-Cola bottles and replacing them with a water bottle, which was also one of the drink maker’s brands.
A drop in Coca-Cola’s share price this week was attributed by some to Ronaldo’s snub, but without any evidence that the two things were connected.
Locatelli copied the Portugal great on Wednesday after helping Italy beat Switzerland.
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It prompted UEFA to remind officials with the teams that players should respect the sponsors and the contributions they make to European soccer. Media managers at each of the 11 stadiums across Europe should also help with removing beer bottles ahead of the arrival of a player of Muslim faith.
Coca-Cola and Heineken are among 12 top-tier sponsors for Euro 2020 who contribute to UEFA’s total tournament revenue of almost 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion).
The values of individual sponsor deals are not published, but UEFA got 483 million euros ($576 million) in sponsor deals from 10 partners at Euro 2016 in France.
Players also indirectly get money from Euro 2020 commercial income via their national federations and clubs.
The 24 national federations competing at Euro 2020 will share 371 million euros ($442 million) in UEFA prize money, which typically helps pay player bonuses. The champions can get a maximum of 34 million euros ($40.6 million) from UEFA by also winning all three of their group games.
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Hundreds of clubs worldwide also get shares from at least 200 million euros ($239 million) allocated by UEFA from Euro 2020 revenue as a reward for releasing their players to European national teams. Of that money, 130 million euros ($155 million) is allocated on a daily rate for about 630 players taking part in the final tournament.
Euro 2020 revenue will also fund 775 million euros ($925 million) UEFA has promised to its 55 member federations in annual grants and development project funds for the period of 2020-24.