Italy and Germany are concerned about the Euro 2020 tournament in the UK

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Fearing about the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Chancellor Mario Draghi expressed concern about holding the Euro 2020 final in the UK.

The British government announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with UEFA, the governing body of European football, to retain the finals and semi-finals of continental European matches. Wembley Stadium in London As planned.

But the intervention of Merkel and Draghi may turn this decision into a diplomatic event. The two leaders emphasized their concerns about the rise of the Delta variant, which was recorded for the first time in India.

Merkel said: “The United Kingdom is a country where the virus variant is prevalent, so all people traveling to the United Kingdom must be quarantined for 14 days after returning.”

“There are very few exceptions… I hope UEFA will act responsibly in this regard. I think it is a good thing that the stadiums there are full.”

In February 2020, the UEFA Champions League match between Valencia and Atlanta in Milan was widely blamed for the spread of the virus in Italy when the pandemic began.

When asked at a press conference in Berlin whether he agreed to move the final to Rome, Draghi said: “I will work hard to achieve this goal in a country where the new coronavirus infection has not risen.”

A spokesman for the Italian government said Draghi was more concerned with monitoring the level of infection in the UK than trying to transfer activities to the Italian capital.

The increasing number of Delta virus cases in the UK prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to extend restrictions on mass gatherings in England beyond June 21, the date when all coronavirus-related restrictions will be lifted.

But choosing a safe alternative location for the game will be difficult. This highly-spreading variant is rapidly spreading in Italy, Germany, and throughout Europe, which may reverse the trend of declining case rates in the coming weeks.

UEFA said last week that because of concerns about the UK’s quarantine restrictions on overseas travellers, it has developed a “contingency plan” to transfer matches.

In recent days, negotiations with the British government have reached a compromise. The final three games of the game will allow a total of 60,000 spectators to participate, while the number of spectators allowed to watch the game at Wembley this month is 22,500.

But people close to the negotiations said the agreement would limit the number of overseas fans and allow 2,500 VIP representatives to participate, provided they stay in the “bubble” and leave the UK within 24 hours of arrival.

The British government stated that the plan means that residents of the country will be “at the top of the queue” to obtain new tickets that have already started to sell.

British Secretary of Culture Oliver Dowden (Oliver Dowden) said: “The finals are expected to be an unforgettable moment for our country to recover from the pandemic.”

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