England manager Gareth Southgate described the game behind closed doors next month’s Nations League home game as “an embarrassment”.
The match against Italy will be played without spectators at the Molinux Stadium on June 12 after the football association was banned due to unruly crowd behavior in the Euro 2020 final in July last year.
The association was fined $ 90,771 for a “lack of discipline and discipline” at Wembley Stadium and a two-game ban on supporters, with one match suspended for 24 months.
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Asked about the legitimacy of the pro-lockout, Southgate said it was “disappointing” to see England float abusively.
“We are where we are. We are now embarrassed to play behind closed doors,” he said.
“Usually when you see these things happening abroad we all understand how it is someone else’s problem and how this country should be dealt with – and now it’s us. It’s not a good optic for our country.”
England will play four Nations League matches in June, a tour of Italy after tours of Hungary and Germany, and a return match against Hungary on 15 June.
The opening clash at the Puskas Arena will also take place in front of an empty stadium on June 5, despite the Hungarian Football Federation being punished after a number of racist incidents during England’s last tour of Budapest.
With serious pitch attacks and escalating violence across English football, Southgate called the recent behavior “a concern” and called on spectators to resolve the issue before forcing a change in match-going experience.
“Football obviously has a responsibility because, when it’s in our environment, we have to do our best to make sure it doesn’t happen,” he said.
“We all acknowledge this, but it is a broader issue. It is a reflection of behavior and where we are as a country.
“It is a difficult time for the people, the economy and the reality of the situation we are in.
“That’s how we want to be seen as a country because it’s manifesting itself in football right now and it’s not a good look. We don’t want to go back to the kind of fence and environment. [was] Made
“We still want to host, we still have great facilities, a magnificent stadium. What we don’t want is this element of it that will distract from the good things that are there.
“So we’re talking about something that could cost us the opportunity to do these kinds of things because people will see it from the outside.”
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