The Football News You May Have Missed Because of Euro 2020

Here we have compiled a list of football events and news that you may have missed in the midst of all of the Euro 2020 action that has been taking place since the Championship kicked off in Rome with Italy against Turkey on 11th June.

Last Sunday the National League play-off final took place at the home of Bristol City, Ashton Gate, with Hartlepool United and Torquay United going head-to-head for a place in the Football League. Hartlepool were on course to edge a 1-0 win out, following Luke Armstrong’s 35th-minute strike, but sensationally Torquay goalkeeper Lucas Covolan met a cross in the 95th minute to take the game to extra-time.

Nothing of note happened in extra-time, forcing the match to go to penalties, of which Torquay’s Brazilian shot-stopper saved Hartlepool’s first two, from Nicky Featherstone and goalscorer Armstrong, but, much to his and Gary Johnson’s agony, both Billy Waters and Daniel Wright failed o convert from the spot. Eventually, Hartlepool emerged victorious as Matt Buse saw his penalty saved onto the crossbar and out by Bradley James, as the Pools sealed promotion back to the Football League.

Angelos Postecoglou, who was appointed as Celtic manager on a 12-month rolling contract on 10th June has completed his quarantine period following his arrival into the UK and has flow into Glasgow from London to take his first training session with the Parkhead club at Lennoxtown on Thursday.

The 55-year-old joined from Yokohama Marinos following three years at the Japanese club where he won the J League back in 2019. Postecoglou was also previously the manager of the Australian national team between 2013 and 2017, winning the Asian Cup in 2015.

Wembley Stadium is set to be allowed to have capacities of more than 60,000 fans for the semi-finals of the European Championships on 6th and 7th July, meaning that the stadium will be at a 75% capacity for the games, the largest capacity at a British sporting event since the Manchester Derby in March 2020.

According to Manchester United’s matchday accounts, sales fell to £1.6m in the quarter, compared to the £29.1m that was made in the previous year when fans were able to attend matches. These losses mean that United’s total revenue has took a 4.4% hit in the last 12 months, with Ed Woodward mentioned that it proves that supporters are “the lifeblood of the game”.

In the Copa America Blackburn Rovers striker, Ben Brereton Diaz has been making a name for himself since his international call up for Chile. Brereton was born in Stoke-on-Trent, but, due to his mother being born in the South American nation, he is eligible to play for them and uses the surname Brereton Diaz, as Spanish names use both the father’s and mother’s surnames.

The former Nottingham Forest man made his debut in the competition as a substitute against in his sides 1-1 draw with Argentina, before scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory against Bolivia on matchday two.

Argentina are through to the quarter-finals of the Copa America following a 1-0 victory over Paraguay on matchday three, which took place on 22nd June. This was sealed by a superb move which saw PSG winger Angel Di Maria disguise a fake shot into a delicate pass through the Paraguayan defence, which Sevilla man Papu Gomez met to delicately chip the ball over the onrushing Antony Silva.

It has been announced that Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah will not be taking part in this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, running from 22nd July to 7th August, as his club side were unwilling to allow the 29-year-old to go, as they want to prepare for the upcoming Premier League season as well as possible. Egypt were keen to name Salah as one of the two overage players in their squad.

Premier League outfit Watford have managed to complete some swift deals whilst the European Championships have been on, having signed former Middlesbrough striker Ashley Fletcher on a free transfer, as well as ex-Tottenham and England left-back Danny Rose as a free agent.

The Hornets who were promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking last season have also announced that they have agreed on a fee for Nigeria international striker Emmanuel Dennis from Belgian Pro League outfit Club Brugge. The 23-year-old made a combined total of 18 league appearances for Brugge and Bundesliga outfit FC Koln last season, making three assists, scoring no goals.

AC Milan have announced the permanent signing of Fikayo Tomori from Chelsea, having triggered the €28m buyout option on the 23-year-old’s contract. The former Derby County loanee played a total of 17 games for the Rossoneri following his loan move from Stamford Bridge in December, helping his side to a second-place finish in Serie A.

On 17th June, Ashley Young re-signed from Aston Villa, following an 18-month spell in Italy with Inter Milan, which saw the 35-year-old win the Serie A title under the management of Antonio Conte. It was 10 years ago this summer since Young left Villa for Manchester United for a fee of £18m, having played for the Villains 190 times between January 2007 till the end of the 2010/11 season, scoring 37 and assisting 59 goals.

On the same day as Young signed for Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers dipped into the transfer market to add to their backline with the purchase of 20-year-old Colombian centre-back Yerson Mosquera for £4.75m from Atletico National.

On 16th June, the Premier League fixtures were announced, which sees the likes of Brentford against Arsenal kick off the 2021/22 season at the Brentford Community Stadium on Friday 13th August, whilst Manchester United host Leeds United at Old Trafford on Saturday 14th August and defending champions Manchester City will go to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the Sunday.

Prior to his recent interest in the vacant managerial role at Tottenham, former AC Milan midfield dynamo was the manager of Fiorentina for all of 23 days. The 43-year-old had been sacked by fellow Serie A side Napoli for failing to earn the Naples club qualification to next season’s Champions League, falling short against Hellas Verona on the last day of the season, leaving him without a club.

Fiorentina came calling and announced Gattuso as manager on 25th May, with his contract to become official on 1st July, but, the two mutually rescinded the contract on 17th June, due to differences over the club’s transfer policy and use of Gattuso’s agent, Jorge Mendes.

Barcelona announced their new home kit on 15th June, with Nike taking a slightly different approach of the Catalonian club’s usual stripe pattern, having integrated a cross and narrow set of stripes which were inspired from Barca’s famous club crest. Take a look for yourself below!