Euro 2020 set to fully capture continent’s attention
The Covid-19 pandemic was in charge of its postponement but, with medical situation on the continent steadily improving, the delayed Euro 2020 finally begins on Friday in Rome when Italy host Turkey while Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal prepare to guard the title they won in France five years ago.
When the action gets underway before a planned 16,000 fans at a quarter-whole Stadio Olimpico the overhelming sense for European football's governing human body UEFA will be of relief following the unprecedented decision to put the tournament on hold last year.
This time around the month-long competition -- being staged for the very first time in 11 cities across Europe instead of in just a couple of host countries -- will focus the attention of the continent since it begins to start for its summer months, with coronavirus infection rates dropping and vaccinations picking up pace.
Yet issues remain, especially following UEFA chose to stick to the pan-European format. Dublin and Bilbao had been dropped from the set of host places after refusing to provide guarantees over spectator numbers, but Seville stepped in for the latter while Dublin's games went to London and Saint-Petersburg.
The rest of the venues -- Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, Saint-Petersburg and Seville -- have all confirmed fans will be permitted to fill between 25 and completely of capacity, with the exception of Munich, which said it aims to web host at least 14,500 fans at the Allianz Arena.
While the risk of more contagious variants continues to be, Munich's mayor Dieter Reiter said in April presently there had been "not any promises, of any sort, to guarantee spectators".
Despite everything, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has been bullish, insisting Euro 2020 will be safe.
