and there is the taking of the knee... the fa desperate that there is no repeat of the booing that's marred recent matches when england continue their antiracism gesture. i think it was incredibly disappointing, but we're really clear on our position that we are 100% behind the players, and we believe that once fans really understand that it's not a political gesture, there is absolutely no reason for them to boo, they should respect the players, and they should get behind theirteam in the euros. and with some of the game's greatest stars on show, many now hope the tournament is remembered for its football, and not the unprecedented challenges it undoubtedly faces. dan roan, bbc news. time for a look at the weather here's helen willetts. warm where we had sunshine, 26 degrees today, but more cloud around, quite a lot of misty weather

around, quite a lot of misty weather around the irish sea coasts, and some showery rain in the south could be sharp this evening, you can see the trend is moving it eastwards. overnight tonight, it will turn much cloudier, so whilst we had quite a cool morning with starry skies first thing this morning, it will be quite muqqy thing this morning, it will be quite muggy and murky. so temperature is no lower than about 14—15 in towns and cities. a great start tomorrow, despite the fact that we still have high pressure ruling the roost, these weather fronts more active, close by to the north and west, with slightly more isobars, so more breeze. blowing rain across the northern and western isles, but a cloudy start for most, the sun is strong, so likely to be a stunning afternoon across northern ireland, northern and eastern scotland, much of england and wales seeing hazy sunshine, breaking up that ploughed with the brisk wind in the north and east. given its more cloud around, temperatures down on today, but warm for all of us, despite the breeze

and cloud in the north and east. that weather front really weakens as it edges southwards on friday, so if you sharp showers potentially tomorrow, but fresher air follows for the majority, again we hold the warmth in the south and east, for most a fresher feel on friday. come saturday, well, the weekend, high pressure is re—establishing itself once again, pushing those weather fronts out of the way, allowing more sunshine to come through and therefore the temperature rises. by therefore the temperature rises. by the time we get to sunday, we might be pushing towards 30 degrees celsius. time for hello, welcome to sportsday, i'm austin halewood. here's what's coming up this evening. we'll be live inside the england and wales camps as the build up to euro 2020 gathers pace.

new faces arrived to bolster covid hit squads. we'll look at just what it could mean for the tournament as a whole. and after the failed breakaway european super league. new rules are introduced to stop something like it happening again in the premier league. also on a packed sportsday this evening. we'll have the latest from edgbaston asjoe root and england try to focus on cricket — with the storm over historic offensive tweets still lingering over them we are going to have to own up to what has happened, excepted and ultimately move forward in a positive way. and the defending men's champion is through — as usual — in paris. but would rafa nadal be joined by the women's one?

hello, and welcome to sportsday. good evening. there's just 48 hours to go now until the delayed euro 2020 gets under way. wales are the first of the home nations in action on saturday. we'll be live inside their training camp soon. but first, as england prepare for their opener against croatia on sunday, all the talk continues to be about the players taking the knee. yestrerday, marcus rashford told us that the team will continue to make the anti—racism gesture throughout the tournament. manager gareth southgate wrote an open letter, saying that "some people aren't understanding the message" after a minority of fans booed the players when taking the knee last week. well today, the chief executive of the fa, mark bullingham, has told us that the boos from fans were incredibly disappointing to see. this is not a political gesture of the team are making. they are standing upfor the team are making. they are standing up for equality and they're

using a gesture that has been around for hundreds of years and they're using it to make a stance against racism. we are not asking every fan to copy that gesture, we're just asking them to respected and we do expect them to respect with the team are doing and they should get behind their team and cheer them on and let's have a brilliant competition. some strong words there from mark bullingham. we can talk now to our sports correspondent, natalie pirks. natalie, so the issue of players taking the knee isn't going away? yet, and i think they said that they want to draw a line under it saying they won't be talking about it any more and i think that was wishful thinking, to be honest. he was really strong, unequivocal and we are not going to quit and sending a strong positive message and anyone who boos should take a look at themselves and ask them why they are doing it. there has been no talk of

it here today in the place of not been asked about it in the press conference but i think come sunday, come to a clock, it could become a live issue again. we heard today from jack grealish. another of england's young stars. he has been praised today by another former england player, hasn't he? he has. former england player, hasn't he? he: has. he was former england player, hasn't he? he has. he was really good form in his press conference. he started for england, he was the absolute star and the number ten playmaker role at thatis and the number ten playmaker role at that is what he loves to play coming in from the left and that of role and he was a little bit too honest today, you almost talked himself out of the line—up. just a trackback and make those runs in behind and read the getting praise. clamourfrom fans and particularly, he said today

that he was more than happy about it. it. that he was more than happy about it. ~' , that he was more than happy about it. ~ , , , ,:, it. it, i think every english person absolutely — it. it, i think every english person absolutely adores _ it. it, i think every english person absolutely adores and. _ it. it, i think every english person absolutely adores and. he - it. it, i think every english person absolutely adores and. he was i absolutely adores and. he was unbelievable. and obviously when he burst onto _ unbelievable. and obviously when he burst onto the scene, those bit before — burst onto the scene, those bit before my— burst onto the scene, those bit before my time at a grub watching highlights and if i could get any performances close to is what he did, then — performances close to is what he did, then i — performances close to is what he did, then i would be over the moon. he is_ did, then i would be over the moon. he is in_ did, then i would be over the moon. he is in a _ did, then i would be over the moon. he is in a position with so many others who have had brilliant seasons as well. and how big of a headache does he have to fit them on the team? abs, headache does he have to fit them on the team? : ., .,. headache does he have to fit them on the team? : :, .,. , ., the team? a huge headache. if you look to russia, _

the team? a huge headache. if you look to russia, those _ the team? a huge headache. if you look to russia, those almost - the team? a huge headache. if you look to russia, those almost the i look to russia, those almost the dearth of creative players. and they alluded to it today, talking about that and how hard it's going to be for them to choose a side that bounces experience with the exuberance of youth. this is the third young squad at the euros and only nine of these players were in russia and if you contrast that with croatia with they're fixing on sunday, around eight of their staff will be on the site that face england in the semifinals of the stuff i get the issues in defence as well, it defences never really played at all but, when you talk about experience, they did allude to the fact that several of these players from the champions league final and four of them were in the europa league final. it's not a slide that lacks experience and big games, but i think i'll be keeping and placing as well and players

coming in but he can have on the bench. someone like him could come on and make a huge impact. it is the most player, he is getting chopped in those two warm up games and the score that he got against rushford. he is a fantastic player, he is going to be a fan favourite is going to light up the cloud and they will have an abundance of talents in these creative positions. big decisions — these creative positions. big decisions for _ these creative positions. big decisions for gareth southgate. natalie light for us there. meanwhile, wales are making their preprations more than 3,000 miles away in azerbaijan. they face switzerland in their group a opener on saturday — and our correspondent hywell griffiths joins us live now from baku. wales seem to have the short straw. england and scotland playing at home, with fans and wales thousands of miles away without supporters — has that affected the

players in the build—up? undoubtedly, they would've preferred this championship because of covid—i9 travel restrictions and fans being told to stay away from azerbaijan. but that's all counterbalanced by the fact that they don't really take qualification for granted and it's their only second ever euros. they talk about the last one still five years ago and those heroics when they made it all the way to the semifinals and they had a chance to catch up with one of the heroes of tween i6. they had a chance to catch up with one of the heroes of tween 16. he was in the way for team of the tournament at the championship. his thoughts were slowly on the first game —— solely. with turkey, and italy in there as well. the results could well help them find a way through to the next 16. how important was it to get his points

on saturday? it’s important was it to get his points on saturday?— on saturday? it's not the be all indoor but _ on saturday? it's not the be all indoor but we _ on saturday? it's not the be all indoor but we are _ on saturday? it's not the be all indoor but we are fortunate - on saturday? it's not the be all indoor but we are fortunate to | on saturday? it's not the be all i indoor but we are fortunate to win the forced — indoor but we are fortunate to win the forced game and how much that helped _ the forced game and how much that helped us — the forced game and how much that helped us. —— be all in dull. the aim _ helped us. —— be all in dull. the aim is— helped us. —— be all in dull. the aim is the — helped us. —— be all in dull. the aim is the same. it will be identical— aim is the same. it will be identical to ours. we know it's going — identical to ours. we know it's going to — identical to ours. we know it's going to be a tough game we want to -et going to be a tough game we want to get off— going to be a tough game we want to get off of— going to be a tough game we want to get off of there with a victory if we can — get off of there with a victory if we can. and really kick things off, yeah _ we can. and really kick things off, eah. :, , :, we can. and really kick things off, eah. ., , :, ., . we can. and really kick things off, eah. ., y:, ., . ii' we can. and really kick things off, eah. ., ., . ii' : :, yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? i yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? ithink— yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? i think so _ yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? i think so in _ yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? i think so in terms _ yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? i think so in terms of— yeah. can you match 2016? and you go as far? i think so in terms of how - as far? i think so in terms of how we prepare- _ as far? i think so in terms of how we prepare- if— as far? i think so in terms of how we prepare. if you _ as far? i think so in terms of how we prepare. if you would - as far? i think so in terms of how we prepare. if you would be - as far? i think so in terms of how we prepare. if you would be on . as far? i think so in terms of how i we prepare. if you would be on the group _ we prepare. if you would be on the group stages, i think he can be a distraction — group stages, i think he can be a distraction and it probably doesn't help you — distraction and it probably doesn't help you. in the group stages as are the focus _ help you. in the group stages as are the focus is — help you. in the group stages as are the focus is that and so how we approach — the focus is that and so how we approach the last time, you know, it's only— approach the last time, you know, it's only work for is the last time

around — it's only work for is the last time around. eur— it's only work for is the last time around. : :, :, :, it's only work for is the last time around. : :, ., ., ., it's only work for is the last time around. : :, ., ., :, , around. an advantage to them being awa from around. an advantage to them being away from any _ around. an advantage to them being away from any hype _ around. an advantage to them being away from any hype and _ around. an advantage to them being | away from any hype and expectations and certainly plenty of welsh fans crossing their fingers and any use of media headlines and one that may have been a side bar today is the borisjohnson seem to forget have been a side bar today is the boris johnson seem to forget that they were in this championship as well. it was england, but forgot about whales and maybe he may be out to prove a point back at home in the first game takes off. well scotland's tournament gets under way on monday. they face czech republic in their opener at hampden park. the team we'll have more ahead of the euros in a moment. but first let's round up some of the day's other stories. wolves have appointed the former benfica boss, bruno lage as their new manager, in place of nuno espirito santo,

who left at the end of the season. lage won the portuguese title with benfica in 2019, but he left last year after finishing second. 12—year—old skateboarder sky brown could become britain's youngest ever olympian after qualifying for the tokyo games. it was only a year ago that she suffered life—threatening injuries in a training fall. 15—year—old bombette martin also qualified. both will have to wait to find out if they're selected. double olympic champion helen glover will also be competing in tokyo, after taking four years out from the sport and starting a family. she's been named in the team gb pair alongside olympic silver medallist polly swann.

and leeds rhinos have been forced to postpone friday's super league match with st helens, after two positive covid—i9 tests — and a further seven close contacts within the rhinos squad. now back to the european championship and concerns are starting to grow amongst organisers, after four players in the last 2a hours have tested positive for covid—i9. two sweden players and two from the spain squad, including captain sergio busquets, have returned positive tests and have been forced to isolate. the fear now is what happens if players test positive when the tournament's under way — as patrick gearey reports. for managers and medics and for players themselves, these are nervous moments. the tournament looms in every move of the muscle in every twinge in every tackle is watched. no one wants an injury now. but this is another thread, one that has thrown their preparations into disarray and today, they begin the second spanish player to test positive for covid—i9 following the diagnosis on sunday. meanwhile, the

first opponents have their own to deal with including event is. fit deal with including event is. of course, it is a pity. it creates a certain anxiety but the same time, we are dealing with it in the way that we should. i'm confident that our doctors know theirjobs and we are following the protocols that are in place. but it is said and they would've preferred not to have to deal with the situation.— deal with the situation. spain already have _ deal with the situation. spain already have a _ deal with the situation. spain already have a parallel - deal with the situation. spain already have a parallel squad j deal with the situation. spain already have a parallel squad ready to step and if there is any positive case. but this is a tournament with many moving parts. 51 matches spread over a continent in various its restrictions and infection rates. they admit whole teams having to quarantine would be the biggest worry. quarantine would be the biggest wor . a, ~' :, quarantine would be the biggest wor . ~ ., :,, quarantine would be the biggest wor . ., , ., :, worry. make what we hope is that not five or six or — worry. make what we hope is that not five or six or seven _ worry. make what we hope is that not five or six or seven players _ worry. make what we hope is that not five or six or seven players will - worry. make what we hope is that not five or six or seven players will be - five or six or seven players will be positive, — five or six or seven players will be positive, they should not be but you never— positive, they should not be but you never know — positive, they should not be but you never know and this will be a bigger

issue _ never know and this will be a bigger issue for— never know and this will be a bigger issue for a _ never know and this will be a bigger issue for a team against