N’Golo county, model captain and Danish cluster

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  On the bill: Wales-Denmark and Italy-Austria

Two weeks to the day after the cardiac arrest of Christian Eriksen in the middle of a match against Finland, Denmark is preparing to open the round of 16 against Wales, this Saturday, June 26 at 6 p.m., in Amsterdam . Despite the absence of their star playmaker and two losses conceded at the start of the tournament, the Danes finally obtained their qualification thanks to their victory against Russia, thus snatching second place in Group B behind Belgium.

In front of them is the Welsh selection, which had created a surprise during the 2016 edition by reaching the semi-finals. With a draw against Switzerland, a victory against Turkey and a loss to Italy, the Red Dragons finished second in Group A behind Italy. On paper, this round of 16 between outsiders promises to be balanced.

Impressive from the start of the Euro, the Nazionale finished at the top of Group A after having a full card in the group stages, without conceding a single goal. Opposed to Austria, a novice at this stage of the competition (since the creation of the group stage), the formation of Roberto Mancini is the big favorite of this meeting.

“Italy haven’t lost in ages, but there might be a time when they lose again. “ Franco Foda believes in it. At a press conference, the coach of the Austrians announced that he had a ” plan “ to put an end to the invincibility of Squadra Azzura (25 wins, 5 draws), against which Das Team has not won for eighty-seven years. Indispensable if David Alaba’s teammates want to join the last four.

What if the Austrians relied on their captain to create the feat against Italy? David Alaba is one of the few players on the team to touch the heights of European football. The future Madrilenian made the heyday of Bayern Munich for more than ten years, forming a fiery duo with Franck Ribéry on the left flank, with whom he won the Champions League in 2013. He also won ten times the German championship.

Foul on the penalty scored by Memphis Depay against the Netherlands (2-0) on the second day, Alaba recovered well in the last match against Ukraine. Relocated to defensive midfielder or even central defense in Munich in recent seasons, Austria’s number 8 has accepted for the sake of the motherland to return to his first love, at the left-back position. An exemplary mentality for the leader of a team which will try to blow up the Italian defense, impermeable since the start of the Euro.

• Meanwhile…: record transfer for Jack Grealish
  

Courted by the two clubs of Manchester, United and City, the midfielder of Aston Villa should finally join the Citizens at the start of the school year for the sum of 116.5 million euros, the British daily revealed on Friday. Daily Mail. At 25, the Birmingham native would become the most expensive rookie in the history of the English Premier League.

On the bench of the Three Lions during the first two games of the competition, the captain of the Midlands benefited from the absence of Mason Mount (detected case of contact with Covid-19) to gain playing time. In City, Grealish could find striker Harry Kane, his teammate in selection, courted by tactician Pep Guardiola.

• In the skylight: in good memory of “Toto” Schillaci

The splendor of Salvatore Schillaci lasted a summer. The time of a World Cup played at home in Italy, in 1990. Far from being a star before the competition, the striker, passed successively by Messina, Juventus and Inter Milan, will no longer exceed, after this 1989 season -1990, the bar of ten goals in the Italian league.

Still, “Toto” Schillaci was touched by grace at the 1990 World Cup, where he finished top scorer with six goals, including this header against Austria. At the time of finding the Das Team this Saturday, Italy does not have a Sicilian in its ranks like Schillaci. But the light could come from another islander: the Sardinian Nicolo Barella.

• A corner of blue sky: N’Golo Kanté, we make a whole lot of cheese

Antistar par excellence, the midfielder of Chelsea and the Blues is however a source of inspiration when it comes to making the buzz. During the World Cup in Russia, the former Caen player was entitled to his song with this cover of Champs-Elysees of Joe Dassin by our comrades of So Foot. A summer hit sung right up to the steps … of the Elysee Palace to celebrate the title of the Blues.

In another style, supporters from the Territoire de Belfort have found how to combine their love for the France team and their favorite cheese. The small group hijacked the name N’Golo Kanté “N’Golo County” on a poster where we see the player as master refiner.

What to stand out on the stadiums of the Euro. “As soon as we take out the photo, everyone congregates around us, sings hymns to the glory of N’Golo, and waits a long time, sometimes a very long time, to have his picture with the banner and our small group”, says Loïc, one of the members of the group Eastern Republican.

⚽️ # Euro2021: thanks to “N’Golo Comté”, #Belfort supporters are creating a buzz across Europe ▶ ️… https://t.co/Yd78poZmZ0

– lestrepublicain (@ L’Est Républicain)

• Volley catch: Alvaro Morata threatened by aficionados

“I received threats, insults towards my family, messages wishing the death of my children …”

At the Euro, Alvaro Morata did not start off on the right foot. Mute during the first two matches of La Roja, the Spaniard missed a penalty in the victory against Slovakia (5-0). Criticized for his lack of realism in front of goal, the Juventus Turin striker said he had received threats against him and his family.

“After the match against Poland [1-1], I went nine hours without being able to sleep. I received threats, insults towards my family, messages wishing the death of my children… But I’m fine, maybe a few years ago, I would have been in bad shape ”, he said Thursday June 24 to Spanish radio Cadena Cope.

The start of an epidemic outbreak at Parken stadium in Copenhagen? The announcement of new Covid-19 infections by the Delta variant worries the Danish health authorities, who called on spectators to the Denmark-Russia match on Monday, June 21, to be tested. Four supporters who attended the meeting are affected by this variant; they are in addition to the nine people detected positive following the Denmark-Belgium match on June 17.

On Thursday, a hundred cases were recorded among Finnish supporters returning after attending a game of their national team in St. Petersburg. The World Health Organization was alarmed on Tuesday June 22 at the relaxation of health measures in some of the host countries of the Euro.