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A32 sports
Diasabra 12 Juni 2021

Euro 2020 opening marks return of mega-scale sports events

(AP) — Postponed by a yond when he performed a
year, the biggest sporting solo concert at Milan's empty
event since the coronavi- cathedral during Easter last
rus brought the world to year. Milan is the capital of
a halt kicked off Friday the Lombardy region, at the
at the Stadio Olimpico in time the epicenter of the pan-
Rome — a milestone both demic in Europe.
for European and world
sports. In Rome and elsewhere in
Italy, most virus restrictions
The opening match of soc- have now been lifted. A mid-
cer's European Champion- night curfew and a require-
ship was played in the capital ment to wear a mask outside
of Italy, the first country out- one's home are the most tan-
side Asia to get struck by the gible ways in which the pan-
pandemic and the first in the demic still affects the daily
world to implement a nation- lives of citizens.
wide lockdown.
Shops, restaurants, gyms,
The tournament represents museums and theatres have
a major step forward on the reopened. Roman traffic has
path toward recovery after returned to its usual chaotic
one of the darkest chapters in state, with swarms of scoot-
the continent's history since ers competing for lane space
World War II. More than 1 stadiums across Europe, but also a year late. If it doesn't, tested positive, as did two of with honking cars. The tour-
million Europeans have died organizers hope measures it would be a serious setback Sweden's players. The Span- ists are coming back, too,
in the pandemic, including including crowd limitations, that could have ramifications ish squad was getting vacci- though the historic center
almost 127,000 Italians. staggered arrival times for beyond soccer. nated Friday. with its famous landmarks
fans, social distancing rules "Let's hope for the best," remains less congested than
"After everything that's hap- and lots of hand sanitizer will said Alessandro Savelloni, a Russia winger Andrey Mo- what's normal for this time
pened, now the situation is help prevent a resurgence of 36-year-old Roman having a stovoy then became the first of year.
improving, I think the time virus infections, which have beer with his wife at a street player to be cut from a na-
has come to start provid- dropped sharply in Europe in bar before the match. "We are tional team on Friday after Metin Karagulle, a Turkey
ing fans with something to recent months. coming out of a dark period. testing positive. supporter riding past the
be satisfied about," said Italy People need freedom. To re- Colosseum on an electric
coach Roberto Mancini, who In Rome, fans entering the turn to normal life." Italy's opening match brought scooter before the match,
tested positive for COV- stadium are required to bring together the biggest crowd in said that being in Rome for
ID-19 in November but was documentation showing they The virus already has had an the country since it went into the tournament opener was
asymptomatic. have been vaccinated against impact on the tournament, a full lockdown 15 months an "unforgettable" moment.
the virus, tested negative in which for the first time is ago, even though the stadium
The tournament was post- the 48 hours before the match not being hosted by one or was filled to only 25% of its Italy still bans non-essential
poned last March when or already had the disease. two nations but is spread out capacity. travel from Turkey, but many
countries were scrambling to across the continent with Tenor Andrea Bocelli, who Turkish fans living in other
contain virus outbreaks and The world of sports is matches in 11 cities. recovered from COVID-19 European countries have
major sporting events around watching. If everything goes Spain captain Sergio Bus- in 2020, delivered a power- traveled to Rome to support
the world were canceled or smoothly, Euro 2020 can give quets tested positive for CO- ful performance of Giacomo their national team.
put on hold. a confidence boost for other VID-19 and will miss the Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" "I am hoping for a good day,
Many worry that it's still not major sporting events, like team's first match against at the opening ceremony. a good show for the opening
safe to bring tens of thou- the Tokyo Olympics, sched- Sweden in Seville on Mon- Bocelli touched the hearts of the Euro," Karagulle said.
sands of fans together in uled to open on July 23 — day. Another Spain player of millions in Italy and be- "Let the best win!"

De Bruyne to miss Belgium's game against Russia at Euro 2020

(AP) — Kevin De Bruyne will not ship because he is still following May 29.
play for Belgium in Saturday's an individual training program Belgium coach Roberto Martinez
opening group game against Rus- after an operation on his frac- said Friday he expects the Manches- Belgium's second game in Group B is
sia at the European Champion- tured nose and eye socket. ter City midfielder to join full train- against Denmark in Copenhagen on
ing with the squad when the players Thursday, when Martinez expects De
return to their training camp in Tu- Bruyne to play a part.
bize, near Brussels, after the game
against Russia in St. Petersburg. Another key Belgium player miss-
ing against Russia will be defensive
"The next two days will be really im- midfielder Axel Witsel, who was
portant, just to get him back to really surprisingly included in the Euro
being able to move freely and start 2020 squad despite missing the final
getting the exercise needed before four months of the club season with
he can come to the group," Martinez Borussia Dortmund because of a torn
said of De Bruyne, who was recently Achilles tendon injury.
voted as the Premier League's player Martinez said Witsel, who didn't play
of the season for the second straight in Belgium's warmup games ahead
year. of the tournament, was "progressing
well" and had been training with the
De Bruyne only linked up with the full squad.
squad on Monday after having a mi-
nor operation following the injuries "I don't expect Axel will need a lot
sustained during City's loss to Chel- more work with the group," Marti-
sea in the Champions League final on nez said.