England coach Gareth Southgate has admitted that it is “really exciting” that his team has the chance to become the first England team to reach a European Championship final, and this side is “ready” to face Denmark in the last four at Wembley at Wednesday evening. .
The winner of the tie will face Italy in the Sunday final, also at Wembley, and for England it represents the chance to go one better than at EM96 and three years ago at the WC 2018.
The nation has been caught by ‘It’s Coming Home’, although the Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who has lived most of his life in England, pointed out the night before the semi-final that, in a European Championship context, it still has not ‘come home ‘.
“We do not have as good a football history as we sometimes want to believe,” an honest Southgate admitted in comments published by BBC Sport.
? “What would it mean for you to stop” coming home “tomorrow night?”
“Has it ever been home? Have you ever won it?”
Kasper Schmeichel went there? #ENGDEN | #ITVFotboll | # Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/X4x2SQDyyq
– ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 6, 2021
“These players are making great strides and breaking down barriers all the time. We have never been to a European Championship final so we can be the first England team to do what is really exciting, he added.
“We are ready for the game, the players are ready, they have a huge experience that they themselves have been in this situation before.
“Our preparations have been calm and we know we are playing a very good opponent. It will be a really close game and an exciting game for everyone. “
England has grown to Euro 2020 with each match passing after a slow start in each group stage match against Croatia and Scotland. Things warmed up a bit against the Czech Republic, after a place in the knockout rounds was already secure, before a significant 16 victory over Germany – England’s first against their longtime rivals in a knockout match of 55 years.
England beat Germany in the 16s / Catherine Ivill / Getty Images
The quarter-final against Ukraine in Rome was much easier, England did early and finally cruised to a very comfortable 4-0 victory.
Denmark’s opening game was frightened by the devastating scenes after Christian Eriksen’s collapse and resuscitation from cardiac arrest, but the squad was brought closer by the horrible scenes and came through the group stage with a beautiful victory over Russia.
They easily saw Wales in the 16s, won 4-0, and once again showed their tactical organization and discipline with a 2-1 victory over a decent Czech team in their quarter-final.
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