Key days for the future of the next European Championship. UEFA is analyzing one by one the four cases that did not make the cut from among the 12 venues designated to host the tournament from June 11 to July 11. One of them is Bilbao. The situation is practically stranded, after the Basque Government relapsed two days ago in its position not to lower its health requirements to welcome the public.
UEFA asks for a guarantee that there will be at least 25% capacity. However, there are claims of the Basque Government that seem impossible to fulfill, among them that to date there is 60% of the population vaccinated and a cumulative incidence rate equal to or less than 40 per 100,000 inhabitants.
The FEF has already expressed in a statement, and in the informative dossier it sent to UEFA, that these demands are impossible to meet. That does not mean that it loses the seat. Or that is your intention. The ace in Rubiales's sleeve is to designate La Cartuja, in Seville, as an alternative venue to San Mamés, something that UEFA must approve in any case.
The FEF's agreement with the Junta de Andalucía would facilitate agreeing on measures to be coupled with UEFA. Yes indeed, the current capacity limit for matches in Andalusian fields does not exceed 800 spectators. It would be very far from the almost 20,000 that La Cartuja should host in June. What's more, the two Cup finals this season there will be behind closed doors, despite the FEF's attempt to keep the audience at a minimum.
Luis Enrique, in suspense
It should be remembered that Spain will play home in all three games in the group stage, against Sweden, Poland and Slovakia. In addition, the quarterfinal match of the first classified in the Spanish group must also be played at the Spanish headquarters.. Luis Enrique had chosen Las Rozas as a base camp and to travel to each game. If you change the headquarters to Seville, you will continue with the same idea. But if UEFA does not accept the change and opts for another alternative, perhaps Spain's concentration plan will also be altered.
Rome still, Dublin and Munich in doubt
The latest news from UEFA was that it finally approves the Italian government's package of measures for there to be spectators in Rome. This fact is important because the inaugural match, Italy-Turkey, must be played at the Olympic Games in that city on June 11.
In this way, and in addition to Bilbao, there are two cities still in the air. These are Dublin and Munich. The Irish case is the most complex to solve. Both the government and the federation have said that they see it unfeasible to have an audience during the tournament. The final decision on this and other questions about the Euro will arrive during the Executive Committee on the 19th and 20th of this month.