CONTINENTAL CLASH
Heavyweights gear up for top kick as Euro football begins
Rome, June 10: Somehow it seems appropriate that Italy, the first country in Europe that was overwhelmed by the Coronavirus pandemic, is hosting the opening game of the European Championship.
Even if Euro 2020 is kicking off in 2021.
The biggest crowd to gather in Italy for a yearand-a-half will witness an Azzurri squad aiming for the title play a Turkey team aiming to spring a surprise on Friday at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
“We’ve been waiting a year for this European Championship and we can’t wait to experience hearing 15,000 people singing the national anthem,” Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci said.
After embarrassingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy won all 10 of their qualifying matches for Euro 2020 and enter on a 27-match unbeaten run.
“We want to go all the way. Other national teams have more experience but we can play with anyone. We don’t have a (Romelu) Lukaku or a Cristiano Ronaldo. Our strength is the team,” Bonucci said.
Turkey took four points off France in qualifying, including a 2-0 win over the World Cup champions, and lost only one of their matches to finish second in the group.
“Being in this tournament and playing in the
After embarrassingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy won all 10 of their qualifying matches for Euro and are on a 27-match unbeaten run. They play Turkey in the tournament’s opening match on Friday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
opening match makes us proud. In every opening game there are surprises and I hope we can also spring one,” Turkey coach Senol Gnes said.
POLITICAL
UNDERCURRENT
The matchup also features some political undertones after Italian Premier Mario Draghi labeled Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a dictator in April. Turkey summoned Italy’s ambassador to protest, and a presidential spokesman demanded that Draghi retract his words. Draghi, however, did not issue a public apology or retraction.
Draghi is not expected to attend the match since he’ll be in Britain on Friday attending a G7 summit. Erdogan is also not expected to attend.
FAN
PROTOCOLS
The Italian government decided that the Stadio Olimpico can be filled to 25 per cent capacity for the four games it will host.
That amounts to a maximum of 15,948 spectators.
Fans arriving at the stadium will have their body temperature measured by thermal scanners before being let in. —