hungarian heat, scottish boogie and cropping

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  On the bill: Hungary-France

Building on their solid success in Germany (1-0), Tuesday, June 15, the Blues are one victory away from qualifying for the knockout stages of the Euro. They can do it today, at 3 p.m., provided they beat the Hungarians at home, in Budapest, in a packed Puskas Arena. On paper, France leaves largely favorite against the most modest selection of this “group of death”.

But the low block of the Italian coach of the Magyars, Marco Rossi, had posed serious problems for the Portuguese for their entry into the running on Tuesday, before his team cracked in the last ten minutes (3-0). A second defeat could be fatal to their qualifying hopes. The Portuguese, them, could also join the knockout stages in case of success in their clash against Germany, at 6 p.m.

• Euro star: Joshua Kimmich

At 26, Joshua Kimmich has established himself at Bayern Munich as one of the best midfielders in the world. With the Mannschaft in recent weeks, he nevertheless occupies a position of piston on the right side in the 3-4-3 of coach Joachim Löw. If he has already often played right side in his career, this positioning makes a lot of reaction in Germany. Lothar Matthaüs, legend of the German selection, thus claimed in the columns of Bild Kimmich’s return to a more natural position as a defensive midfielder.

It must be said that the duo Toni Kroos-Ilkay Gundogan suffered in the middle against the Blues on Tuesday, in the first day of the group stage. Joshua Kimmich also didn’t have his usual influence and even came close to being sent off by repeating fouls. Even if he said at the end of the match that Germany had “Not been the worst team”…

• It happened yesterday:

– In Group E, Sweden took a big step towards qualifying in the round of 16 after their 1-0 victory over Slovakia (Emil Forsberg’s penalty goal).

– Croatia and the Czech Republic failed to decide (1-1) in the group D match, which was scored by another goal for Czech Patrik Schick.

– England clearly does not convince. Gareth Southgate’s men were unable to find the fault at Wembley against the Scots very happy with the ugly trick played at the Three Lions (0-0, group D).

• Meanwhile…: it also plays in Brasilia

Do you prefer the eleven of the EURO or the Copa America? 🤔 📸 @skoresofficial https://t.co/QqdUhFz5lq

– _BeFoot (@BeFoot)

It is not only in the Old Continent that we talk about football … and Covid. After having escaped in extremis the postponement or cancellation due to the health situation in Latin America, the Copa America got off to a good start on Sunday, June 13.

The continental tournament of ten teams – organized at the last minute in Brazil after the withdrawal of Argentina and Colombia – continues to be controversial, however, while the number of positive cases of Covid-19 has already exploded the records: more around forty have thus been identified within the teams, management or staff linked to the organization.

On the sporting front, the Seleçao, in search of a tenth coronation at home, largely dominated its first two group matches – against Venezuela (3-0), Sunday, and against Peru (4-0), Thursday .

• In the skylight: “Yes sir, the Tartan Army can boogie”

Do you want to hear the Scottish football fans singing ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ outside King’s Cross station? via … https://t.co/ISNhvdeNLQ

– RichardOsley (@Richard Osley)

On the occasion of the British derby of this Euro – also the oldest duel in the history of the round ball – a horde of Scottish supporters swept over to the English neighbor for the match against the Three Lions, Friday, June 18 at Wembley (London). And it seemed very complicated to escape the Yes sir, I Can Boogie, an old disco hit by the Spanish duo Baccara, which has become the anthem of the Tartan Army.

• Volley catch: UEFA reframes without cracking down

“The contributions of these sponsors are important for the tournament and European football”

UEFA’s call to order is concise and no individual sanctions are currently envisaged. But the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and the French Paul Pogba raised a marketing storm in the middle of the Euro, by stealing two bottles of Coca-Cola for the first, one of Heineken beer for the second, during their respective press conferences.

The two brands are the biggest partners of the European confederation, according to a study by KPMG, which estimates the annual value of the Heineken contract at 45 million dollars (38 million euros) and that of Coca-Cola at 35. million dollars (29 million euros).

• A corner of blue sky: Viktor Orban and big heat

Didier Deschamps was not born overnight. When a journalist questions him at a press conference on the political context of the upcoming meeting against Hungary and on his Prime Minister, Viktor Orban – whose relations with France are rather fresh – the coach emerges in touch. Always be careful.

“When you play sports, you don’t play politics. That there is recovery… it doesn’t even exist in our minds. The Hungarian players will not be animated by these intentions, not more than us. “

So let’s talk about the weather instead. The Blues will face the heat on Saturday in Budapest at kickoff (32 degrees Celsius announced) and are already preparing for it. “ Since the Munich match, we have made sure to settle down and get body and head used to what awaits us “, explained the coach.

• Covidometer: Wembley suspended for the semi-finals and the final

London is worried. The British capital could see the organization of the semi-finals – July 6 and 7 – and the final – July 11 – at Wembley slipping away in favor of Budapest because of the spread of the Delta variant in the United Kingdom. “We will discuss with UEFA to find out what they want and see if we can come up with significant changes, but public health remains the priority”British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

At UEFA, we do not deny that the relocation of the semi-finals and the final is a ” Considered solution “. The decision will be made “In the coming days”, says a source close to the organizers.