Euro 2020: Germany furious at not being able to train at Wembley the night before England match

Forget the mind games before the Euro 2020 clash between age-old enemies England and Germany – it’s the weather that has led to the biggest controversy so far ahead of Tuesday’s game. 

German newspaper Bild has vilified Uefa over the ‘scandal’ that is Joachim Low‘s men not being able to train at Wembley the night before the round-of-16 match because of the heavy rain in London damaging the stadium’s hallowed turf.

UEFA has taken the decision to protect the pitch ahead of the game itself, denying Germany the time-honoured tradition of preparing at the host stadium the night before a game. 

Germany will not be able to train at Wembley stadium the night before the England match

Recent rain in London has damaged the pitch, so Uefa has stopped Germany training there

Bild report that Uefa’s decision to protect the pitch is a ‘scandal’ and Joachim Low is furious

According to Bild, Low is furious about the decision, which means his side will have one more training session in Herzogenaurauch in Germany on Monday before flying to London for the match. 

The German media outlet even went as far as to describe the situation as a ‘distortion of competition’ that favours England, who have so far played all three of their Euro 2020 group games at Wembley. 

Players from both teams must experience ‘the aura of the stadium, the smell of the (changing rooms) and the feeling for the turf’ before the match in order to be on a level playing-field before they walk out onto the pitch, Bild expressed. 

England will be hoping to turn any potential factor to their advantage, hoping to avenge their poor record against Germany in major tournaments. 

Given the lukewarm form of Gareth Southgate’s men at Euro 2020 to date, whatever the outcome or the state of the rain-ravaged pitch, fans will be desperate that the game isn’t a wash-out.  

Germany will have one more session in Herzogenaurauch on Monday before flying to London