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UEFA says they’ll play Euro 2016 games behind closed doors if faced with serious threats
The show must go on with or without fans, apparently.
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Just one day after terrorist attacks in Belgium, the vice president of Euro 2016 says he can’t rule out the tournament holding some games behind closed doors. Here’s Giancarlo Abete.
“Security is the primary problem for all of us. The sporting event is only secondary to the issue of people’s security. For every sporting event, there is somebody responsible for public order who is above any other person responsible for the organisation of the sporting event ... There is always a risk of having to play behind closed doors because we’re talking about a competition that has got to take place. You cannot postpone matches to a later date because it’s a tournament that relies on results for it to proceed.”
UEFA is confident in their security and doesn’t think they’ll have to shut fans out of any games, but they’re putting contingency plans in place.
Historical goal of the day
In the news
Belgium will move a friendly scheduled for play in Brussels to Portugal. (BBC)
Bastian Schweinsteiger has left the Germany squad with a knee injury. (AP)
Christian Benteke has accused Jürgen Klopp of ignoring him. (Guardian)
17-year-old Christian Pulisic will join the USMNT for Tuesday’s game if he gets over an illness. (MLS)
Juventus’ director admits he’s worried about Álvaro Morata’s buyback clause. (Football Italia)
Tobias Strobl will move from Hoffenheim to Borussia Mönchengladbach on a free transfer. (Bundesliga)
Fun from the rumor mill: If Lionel Messi leaves Barcelona, it will be for Manchester City. (Mirror)
You should be reading
Ed Aarons on Ousmane Dembélé‘s mother, who’s handling his soccer career. (Guardian)
Arthur James O’Dea on how Alf Ramsey guided England to the World Cup. (These Football Times)
Bobby Gardiner on Swansea’s strange, rapid decline. (Stats Bomb)
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