By Samindra Kunti in Saint Petersburg
June 22 – Even at a walking pace, Belgium were a superior team. Roberto Martinez’s team won group B following a routine 2-0 victory over Finland to confirm their presence in the knockout phase of Euro 2020.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 21 – Budapest may have arguably the best Euro 2020 atmosphere as the only stadium full to capacity but the choice of the city as one of the hosts has been blighted by a UEFA investigation into “potential discriminatory incidents” that are understood to refer to racist chanting and homophobic propaganda.
June 21 – They arrived as genuine dark horses to go deep into the tournament yet depart after three humbling defeats, one goal scored and without a single point.
June 20 – On a steamy afternoon near the Gulf of Finland, Aleksander Isak emerged as the new heir to Zlatan Ibrahimovic as Sweden and Russia lived up to their reputations of playing stifling football in a match of diabolical quality.
June 20 – Belgian A-listers Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel will all start against Finland, Belgian coach Roberto Martinez confirmed in a match that his Finnish counterpart Markku Kanerva dubbed “the game of our lives”.
By Paul Nicholson
June 18 – Rumours that UEFA could switch the Euro 2020 final from London to another venue outside the UK have gathered pace with discussion ongoing about provision of a special covid protocol that would allow fans of teams in for the final without having to undergo normal quarantine procedures.
By Andrew Warshaw
June 18 – Teams at Euro 2020 have been warned about their contractual obligation to sponsors after both Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba removed official drinks bottles at press conferences.
By Samindra Kunti in St Petersburg
June 18 – Russia’s Euro 2020 host city has tightened restrictions to curb a third wave of Covid-19 as the Slovakia team reported two positive tests on the eve of their Group E game with Sweden.
June 18 – Christian Eriksen is being fitted with a heart starter device following his collapse due to a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener which shocked the world of football.
June 17 – England fans are not only drinking in the atmosphere of being back at Wembley, they are also, literally, drinking the pitch.
June 17 – Finland simply cannot get past their big neighbours, not even with a round of 16 spot at Euro 2020 at stake. A Bergkamp-esque strike from Aleksei Miranchuk on the stroke of half-time was enough for the dominant hosts to sink their opponents 1-0 and maintain a fighting chance in Group B.
June 16 – UEFA has suspended Austrian player, Marko Arnautovic, for the next match of Austria’s Euro 2020 campaign against Holland on Thursday after he shouted abuse at a North Macedonia player in his country’s opening 3-1 win.
June 16 – World champions France defeated Germany 1-0 in the most anticipated match of Euro 2020’s group stages, but before the several people were injured by a Greenpeace protester who parachuted into the stadium.
June 15 – Under fire from players, fans, pundits and sections of the media for sanctioning the resumption of the Denmark-Finland Euro 2020 fixture so soon after Christian Eriksen’s shocking cardiac arrest, UEFA has sprung to its own defence by insisting the teams were not placed under any pressure.
June 15 – UEFA looks poised to agree €1.3 million in compensation to Bilbao for the late removal of Euro 2020 hosting from the Basque city’s San Mamés stadium to Seville. The decision was taken once it became clear Bilbao would not allow spectators at matches.