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England winger Bukayo Saka faces a fitness test ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2020 quarter-final with Ukraine after suffering an injury in training, manager Gareth Southgate said in a statement. press conference Friday.
Saka, 19, started England’s last two games, against the Czech Republic and Germany, on the right flank and if he was fit he would have a good chance of starting against the team. Andriy Shevchenko at Stadio Olimpico.
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“We just have to check on Bukayo who had a slight hit today but other than that everyone is available,” Southgate said when asked about his team’s fitness.
England have four players – Harry Maguire, Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Phil Foden – who would be suspended for a possible semi-final if they were booked against Ukraine, but Southgate will not factor that into their choice of selection.
“I don’t really understand that reasoning. I understand that strategically you would like to do this, but I can’t think of a country in the world that would like to do it for a quarterfinal, especially not a country that has only done that. three semi-finals in its history, “he said.
“So, no, we have to focus on tomorrow (Saturday). It would be a big mistake for us to think of anything else and an insult to Ukraine as well. We will not make any decisions based on yellow cards. We are playing. to win and we have to have everyone available, ”he added.
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England have played all of their home games, including in front of 40,000 spectators at Wembley for Tuesday’s win over Germany, but Southgate said a change of scenery could help his side.
“I actually think it’s good to be leaving Wembley now and it would have been difficult to replicate the atmosphere we had the other day,” he said.
“Three days later. I think having a different goal, a different environment, a different challenge is good for us,” he added.
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