1/ Thread here about the Euros from a German angle and credit to @Tonline for much of this. The legendary Berti Vogts does a column for them & didn’t mince his words on the subject of going ahead with the tournament this summer.

2/ Vogts told readers he was annoyed about lack of attention to deaths, ICU burdens. How at the same time could a football tournament be held in 12 countries? “Complete nonsense” in his words. “Postpone the Euros, react now. Otherwise it’s too late.”

3/ Vogts said he thinks we run the risk of top players staying away, citing the example of the currently ongoing (not going well) Handball-World Cup. He suggests pushing it back to Nov/Dec & held in 1 country in a pandemic, rather than 12.

4/ Eintracht Frankfurt Sport CEO Fredi Bobic told @Tonline he partially agrees with Vogts. “It’s an illusion that in June 2021 a Euros tournament can take place in 12 European countries. And it would also be completely the wrong signal due to the pandemic.”

5/ Bobic departs from Vogts re postponing it saying normally that should happen but the calendar won’t allow it. He agrees it should be played in 1 or at the most 2/3 countries. “If it doesn’t go ahead this summer, then a complete cancellation would be a realistic possibility.”

6/ @Tonline’s Robert Hiersemann then turned to the SPD (main centre left party) health expert @Karl_Lauterbach (also an epidemiologist.) He welcomed Vogts’ words & added this.

7/ UEFA to decide course on 5 March. Lauterbach: “I believe the Euros will be postponed completely as in March we’ll have a situation which will be much worse in many European countries than it is today.”

8/ Lauterbach: “In March we could experience a situation in which hardly anyone would come upon the idea to stage a football tournament.”

9/ Lauterbach: “We can’t assume that by the middle of the year we’ll have enough vaccine. It’s most likely if the tournament does go ahead, there will be no fans in venues.”

10/ Of course there are other voices who believe it’s football business (although maybe not as usual) & experience of how to work in a pandemic will help. But non-essential travel in a pandemic? UEFA to decide on 5 March.
ends/