Roy Hodgson's England enter the fray at
Euro 2016 on Saturday bidding to end a 50-
year wait for a major title and hoping their
fans are not involved in more clashes.
England take on Russia in Marseille where
beer-swilling English hooligans have fought
with police for two nights in scenes
reminiscent of the 1998 World Cup in
France.
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will lead Wales'
debut European Championships appearance
against Slovakia, while there will be the rare
sight of brothers going head-to-head as
Arsenal's new recruit Granit Xhaka faces
older sibling Taulant when Switzerland play
Albania on the first full day of action.
France struggled to get past Romania in the
tournament curtainraiser on Friday until
Dimitri Payet's wonderful 25-metre strike
handed the host nation a 2-1 victory.
Attention now turns to England, the only
team to win all 10 qualifying matches and
there is optimism that a new-look Three
Lions could shock favourites Germany, Spain
and France.
Premier League top-scorer Harry Kane is
expected to lead the line. But Leicester
City's title-winning hero Jamie Vardy may
have to settle for a place on the bench to
make way for captain and England's all-time
record goalscorer, Wayne Rooney.
Hodgson made no direct comment on the
scenes of tattooed fans brawling with police
and Russian fans in Marseille for a second
day on Friday.
Officials said seven arrests were made and
riot police spent the rest of the night
keeping a close eye on hundreds of beer-
sodden fans.
Hodgson said his mind was focused on the
match at the Stade Velodrome and his side
are anxious to start the campaign.
"As far as we're concerned, tomorrow can't
come soon enough," Hodgson said.
"We are fully aware of what a good team
Russia are, we're aware of their experience
and of their quality."
- History awaits Bale's Wales -
After his best season so far for Spanish
giants Real, Bale spearheads Wales'
inaugural European Championship finals
match against Slovakia in Bordeaux.
Bale scored seven goals in qualifying to lead
Chris Coleman's side to their first major
tournament since 1958.
"Whenever there was a major championship
on I would be sat at home, watching on TV,
so to be involved is amazing," said Bale.
"I imagined qualifying. It was one of my
dreams to do so, but to make dreams come
true is not easy."
However, Slovakia have a star of their own
in Napoli captain Marek Hamsik.
The midfielder scored five times in
qualifying, but played down suggestions that
the match will be a shoot-out between him
and Bale.
"I think Gareth is one of the best players in
the world," said Hamsik.
"I wouldn't like to compare myself to him. It
won't be a match between Gareth Bale and
Marek Hamsik. It will be between Wales and
Slovakia."
- Brothers at arm's length -
History will be made in Saturday's first game
should the Xhaka brothers line-up for
opposing sides.
Granit, who cost Arsenal a reported 40
million euros from Borussia
Moenchengladbach, has opted to play for
the country of his birth, Switzerland, whilst
the lesser known Taulant chose Albania, the
home of their parents who fled war-torn
Kosovo in the 1990s.
"Anyone in a similar situation, who says it's
not a special game, is a liar," said Granit.
"For 90 minutes, we'll blend out the fact
we're brothers as professionals. May the
best man win."
The Xhakas are not the only players that
could have lined up for either side. There
are six players in the Albania squad born in
Switzerland, whilst a number of the Swiss
side are of Kosovan descent, including
Stoke City star Xherdan Shaqiri.
Some 300,000 Kosovans moved to
Switzerland to escape the territory's brutal
war with Serbia in the 1990s.
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea
could be fighting for his place in the Spain
team after he was forced to dismiss reports
that he had organised a party in 2012 where
women were allegedly forced to have sex
against their will.
"I am the first one to be surprised by this
report. I deny it, it is false and nothing more,
it is a lie and false," De Gea said on Friday
Eldiario.es news website said the name of
De Gea and Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain
appeared in a woman's testimony as part of
an investigation into Ignacio Allende, a
Spanish porn producer who was detained in
April for alleged sexual abuse of minors and
disseminating child pornography.
Vanguard ngr
Euro 2016 on Saturday bidding to end a 50-
year wait for a major title and hoping their
fans are not involved in more clashes.
England take on Russia in Marseille where
beer-swilling English hooligans have fought
with police for two nights in scenes
reminiscent of the 1998 World Cup in
France.
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will lead Wales'
debut European Championships appearance
against Slovakia, while there will be the rare
sight of brothers going head-to-head as
Arsenal's new recruit Granit Xhaka faces
older sibling Taulant when Switzerland play
Albania on the first full day of action.
France struggled to get past Romania in the
tournament curtainraiser on Friday until
Dimitri Payet's wonderful 25-metre strike
handed the host nation a 2-1 victory.
Attention now turns to England, the only
team to win all 10 qualifying matches and
there is optimism that a new-look Three
Lions could shock favourites Germany, Spain
and France.
Premier League top-scorer Harry Kane is
expected to lead the line. But Leicester
City's title-winning hero Jamie Vardy may
have to settle for a place on the bench to
make way for captain and England's all-time
record goalscorer, Wayne Rooney.
Hodgson made no direct comment on the
scenes of tattooed fans brawling with police
and Russian fans in Marseille for a second
day on Friday.
Officials said seven arrests were made and
riot police spent the rest of the night
keeping a close eye on hundreds of beer-
sodden fans.
Hodgson said his mind was focused on the
match at the Stade Velodrome and his side
are anxious to start the campaign.
"As far as we're concerned, tomorrow can't
come soon enough," Hodgson said.
"We are fully aware of what a good team
Russia are, we're aware of their experience
and of their quality."
- History awaits Bale's Wales -
After his best season so far for Spanish
giants Real, Bale spearheads Wales'
inaugural European Championship finals
match against Slovakia in Bordeaux.
Bale scored seven goals in qualifying to lead
Chris Coleman's side to their first major
tournament since 1958.
"Whenever there was a major championship
on I would be sat at home, watching on TV,
so to be involved is amazing," said Bale.
"I imagined qualifying. It was one of my
dreams to do so, but to make dreams come
true is not easy."
However, Slovakia have a star of their own
in Napoli captain Marek Hamsik.
The midfielder scored five times in
qualifying, but played down suggestions that
the match will be a shoot-out between him
and Bale.
"I think Gareth is one of the best players in
the world," said Hamsik.
"I wouldn't like to compare myself to him. It
won't be a match between Gareth Bale and
Marek Hamsik. It will be between Wales and
Slovakia."
- Brothers at arm's length -
History will be made in Saturday's first game
should the Xhaka brothers line-up for
opposing sides.
Granit, who cost Arsenal a reported 40
million euros from Borussia
Moenchengladbach, has opted to play for
the country of his birth, Switzerland, whilst
the lesser known Taulant chose Albania, the
home of their parents who fled war-torn
Kosovo in the 1990s.
"Anyone in a similar situation, who says it's
not a special game, is a liar," said Granit.
"For 90 minutes, we'll blend out the fact
we're brothers as professionals. May the
best man win."
The Xhakas are not the only players that
could have lined up for either side. There
are six players in the Albania squad born in
Switzerland, whilst a number of the Swiss
side are of Kosovan descent, including
Stoke City star Xherdan Shaqiri.
Some 300,000 Kosovans moved to
Switzerland to escape the territory's brutal
war with Serbia in the 1990s.
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea
could be fighting for his place in the Spain
team after he was forced to dismiss reports
that he had organised a party in 2012 where
women were allegedly forced to have sex
against their will.
"I am the first one to be surprised by this
report. I deny it, it is false and nothing more,
it is a lie and false," De Gea said on Friday
Eldiario.es news website said the name of
De Gea and Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain
appeared in a woman's testimony as part of
an investigation into Ignacio Allende, a
Spanish porn producer who was detained in
April for alleged sexual abuse of minors and
disseminating child pornography.
Vanguard ngr
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