Euro 2020 / Copa America 2021 Diary

Plenty of FC Barcelona players are involved in both the European Championship and the Copa America, which are taking place simultaneously in June and July. Scroll down for all the latest news on our stars at the two continental tournaments.

Saturday 10 July 

Leo Messi was not only the MVP of the competition but was also top for goals (4) and assists (5). Could he have possibly had a better Copa America?

Leo Messi played the full 90 minutes, while Agüero was an unused substitute. Emerson also featured for Brazil, coming on as a replacement for Renan Lodi after 76 minutes. 

Argentina have won the Copa America for the first time since 1993. They won the grand final at the Maracana 1-0 thanks to a 22nd minute goal scored by Angel Di Maria. 

 

Leo Messi has been named joint MVP of the competition together with Neymar Jr of Brazil.

Final training session completed for both Argentina and Brazil ahead of the Copa América final. Check out our preview of the big game right here. 

Friday 9 July

Another day of preparations for the Argentina squad.

Thursday 8 July

Leo Messi, Sergio Agüero and the rest of the Argentina squad are ready and waiting in Rio de Janeiro.

Barça interest in Euro 2020 is over, so our focus switches 100% to the Copa America, where we have representation among both finalists, Argentina and Brazil, who go head to head on Sunday (Monday morning at 2.00 CEST in Europe).

Wednesday 7 July

Martin Braithwaite speaking after Denmark went out of Euro 2020: “We have to swallow it. We are proud, but also incredibly disappointed with the way it happened. I don’t think it was entirely fair, but I have to be careful what I say."

"There is no one to blame. It wasn't a penalty and it was a harsh decision."

“I am disappointed, but we have many excellent experiences and we are very grateful for the support we have received. It has been moving and something we had never experienced before.”

It didn't happen for Martin Braithwaite and Denmark. Despite opening the scoring through Mikkel Damsgaard, England quickly levelled thanks to a Simon Kjaer own goal and sealed it in extra time when Harry Kane's penalty was saved but he was quick to pounce on the rebound. England go on to play Italy in Sunday's final... and Euro 2020 is over for the Barça contingent.

Few would have predicted that Martin Braithwaite, thanks to Denmark's wonderful run, would be the last man standing for Barça at Euro 2020. But there he is in the starting line-up as the Danes take on England for a place in the final against Italy.

While the whole of England is excited about the prospect of football 'coming home', Denmark's sole intention is to stop that happening. Not long to go before the second Euro 2020 semi-final!

Martin Braithwaite and Denmark take on England and Wembley today (9:00 pm CEST) in search of a place in Sunday's final against Italy. After beating Wales and the Czech Republic in the previous rounds, they are now just one game away from appearing in the final for the second time. In 1992 in Sweden, Denmark ended up lifting the trophy.

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Tuesday 6 July

Speaking after the game, Leo Messi said “there were difficult moments. But we have Emi in goal and he’s awesome. We had faith in him. We achieved our goal of playing in every game and now we’re going for the final.”

“We deserve this. It’s what we wanted. In the previous Copa America this group become stronger and showed what we can do. This time we are going to the final.”

Argentina are through to the Copa América final after defeating Colombia on penalties. Despite leading from the seventh minute after Leo Messi set up for Lautaro Martinez, they were unable to add any further goals and Luis Diaz produced a second half equaliser equaliser. With extra time only applying in the final of this tournament, it went straight to a shootout.

Messi converted the opening kick, and Argentina goalie Emiliano Martinez became the hero of the day by saving three out of four Colombian kicks - and Argentina will now go on to meet host nation in what promises to an amazing final.

Sergio Agüero was an unused substitute.

Eric Garcia said after the defeat that "we have to view this as the start of something big. We got so much support from the fans. Thank you so much.”

And, Jordi Alba said: "I have been in this team for 9 or 10 years and have never been with a group like this. Losing hurts but even more seeing how much hope these players had … The years are going by and this is coming to an end, and this was a lost opportunity. But as long as I am up to it I intend to stay with this team.”

“We have clear ideas and have shown that we’re able to compete for the World Cup … It took penalties to beat us … I’m sure there is a lot more left in this team.”

“I hope I can be there for Qatar. Fitness wise I’m fine and I’m mentally much stronger than in other years. But if the boss decides I’m not up to it, then that’s when I’ll stop coming.”

Spain's Euro 2020 is over after they were beaten by Italy in a penalty shootout.

With all four Barça players in the starting line-up, they were playing some delightful football but failing to make their dominance count before Federico Chiesa handed Italy the lead on the hour mark. Alvaro Morata equalised with ten minutes to go and there would be no further scoring.

Italy went on to win the shootout, and will meet the winners out of England and Denmark in this weekend's final.

Still 0-0 between Spain and Italy at half-time, but Gary Lineker is impressed with someone!

Luis Enrique has named all four of the Barça contingent in the starting line-up against Italy. Jordi Alba is at left back and Eric Garcia is the right-sided centre back. Meanwhile, Sergio Busquets will be orchestrating things from the centre of midfield, with Pedri just to his left.

All eyes are now on one city - London. Spain and Italy are the first to tread the Wembley turf in today's semi-final, but Martin Braithwaite and the Danish team are also installed in the British capital ready for their game with the country that will host every game from now on - England.

Today is day for the Spanish national side. Luis Enrique's team take on a highly rated Italy side in the semi-final of Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium in London, kick off 9.00pm CEST. Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Eric Garcia and Pedri will all be looking to be involved as Spain look for the first appearance in the final since they won the tournament back in 2012, beating today's opponents Italy in the final. 

Not only could Argentina qualify for the Copa America final by beating Colombia tonight, but Leo Messi could equal Pele's South American record of 77 goals for his country.

Martin Braithwaite is looking forward to their semi-final with England tomorrow. The Danes are looking to make the final for the second time in their history. For the English, it would be the first.

Monday 5 July

Brazil, with Barça full-back Emerson Royal as an unused substitute, are through to the final of their own Copa America after defeating Peru 1-0 in an intense semi-final at the Nilton Santos in Rio. Lucas Paquetá scored the only goal of the game off a Neymar assist in the 35th minute. Peru battled long and hard to get something back, but the hosts managed to hold on and will meet the winner out of Argentina and Colombia in the grand final.

Pedri has given a press conference ahead of Spain's semi-final with Italy at Wembley tomorrow night.

“I feel fine, but this isn’t Pedri’s Spain. We’re a great team and as a unit we have reached the semi-final.”

“Barça and Guardiola are right to say that going to the Olympics would be a lot of games but I love playing football.”

"If get chances to score I need to take them and the boss and my team-mates remind me of that. It’s something I need to work on in the future.”

"We are two teams with a lot of quality in midfield. It’s going to be a very tight battle in that area and the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win it.”

"I don’t know about nerves. I’ll never be as nervous as I was before my first game for Las Palmas in the second division.”

Tonight (Tuesday morning) at 1.00am CEST, we have the first of the semi-finals in the two continental competitions. It is a repeat of the final two years ago, with Emerson Royal's Brazil taking on Peru, who saw off Paraguay on penalties in the previous round.

Spain v Italy at Wembley... Oh my! With travel from Spain to the UK practically impossible, 'La Roja' are calling on Spanish citizens living in the country to get down to London (if they don't live there already) and support the team.

Not many people predicted Denmark would be going to the Euro 2020 semi-finals, especially after they lost their first two games. But there they are and Martin Braithwaite is proud as punch. Next up is England at Wembley. It's a huge ask, but the Danes have shown time and again in this tournament that they are not a team to be underestimated.

Training for Argentina who are just two games away from their first major title of the 21st century. They face Colombia in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday (Thursday morning at 3.00am CEST).

Saturday 3 July

Two assists and a goal for Leo Messi in Argentina's 3-0 win against Ecuador. He has been named MVP in four of the five games that his country have played in the competition so far:

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Argentina are into the semi-finals of the Copa América after a 3-0 win over Ecuador in their quarter-final. Leo Messi scored and provided an assist for Rodrigo De Paul with Lionel Scaloni's side facing Colombia in the last four. Los cafeteros knocked out Ronald Araujo's Uruguay on penalties in their quarter-final after a goalless 120 minutes of football. 

Denmark and Martin Braithwaite have done it! First half goals from Thomas Delaney and Kasper Dolberg were enough to do it despite a tremendous fightback from the Czechs after the break. It means Barça will be represented in both semi-finals of Euro 2020, with Denmark taking on the winners of today's later fixture between England and Ukraine.

Martin Braithwaite has been named in the Danish starting XI against the Czech Republic...

There are three more quarter finals that will potentially involve Barça players today, one in Europe and two in South America.

Uruguay v Colombia (Saturday/Sunday, 12am CEST)
With centre back Ronald Araujo among their squad as well as former Barça man Luis Suárez, Uruguay finished second in Group A behind Argentina. The country that has won the trophy more times than any other, most recently in 2011, faces the third-placed team in Group B, Colombia, at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia. Colombia, surprisingly, have only ever won the tournament once, in 2001, and their number include former FC Barcelona defender Yerry Mina.

Argentina v Ecuador (Saturday/Sunday, 3am CEST)
Lionel Messi and Kun Agüero have been two of the standout performers of the tournament so far. Indeed, Messi is the top goalscorer so far with three goals. Argentina have not won the South American Championship for 28 years, and it is a title that both players would love to add to their collection, and there was nothing about their group stage form to suggest that that can’t happen in 2021. They’re up against Ecuador, who qualified for the quarter finals without winning a single game – they had three draws and a defeat. Goiânia is the venue.

Czech Republic v Denmark (Saturday, 6pm CEST)
Despite losing their first two games, Martin Braithwaite’s Denmark squeezed into the last sixteen on the final day and then routed Wales 4-0 in Amsterdam to qualify for the quarter finals. Baku, Azerbaijan is the venue as the winners of the 1992 edition, but who have not returned to a semi-final since, face the impressive Czech Republic, who put an end to De Jong and Memphis’ tournament with Holland in the previous round. The Czechs won this tournament in 1976 as part of the former Czechoslovakia and were runners-up at Euro 96.

Friday 2 July

Brazil are through to the semi-finals of the Copa America after beating Chile 1-0 despite playing half the game with ten men after Gabriel Jesus was sent off. The red card came just two minutes after Lucas Paqueta had scored the only goal of the game. Barça's Emerson Royal was an unused substitute.

Brazil go on to play Peru in the semi-finals , who beat Paraguay on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Spain win on penalties! Sergio Busquets hit the post with the first kick of the shootout, but ultimately it didn't matter. The Swiss only managed to score one of their four kicks and Spain march on the the semi-finals at Wembley where they'll play the winners of Blegium and Italy, who kick off in just a few minutes.

 

Chance after chance after chance for Spain but the goal just didn't want to come. The game goes to penalties. Switzerland already beat France in a shootout, will they do the same to Spain?

It ends 1-1 in St Petersburg after Switzerland equalised through Xherdan Shaqiri. So we go into extra time, but the Swiss are a man down after Remo Freuler was red carded.

Half-time in St Petersburg and Spain still lead 1-0 thanks to Jordi Alba's early opener. Tight-fought game though, and anything could happen in the next 45 minutes.

What a start for Spain! Jordi Alba rifles one in from outside the box and it takes a deflection off a defender to leave goalkeeper Sommer helpless. The game is just eight minutes old and the Barça defender has given Spain a 1-0 lead.

Luis Enrique has named his side for Spain's Euro 2020 quarter final against Switzerland! Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Pedri are all among the starters, while Eric Garcia is on the bench.

-¡Este Viernes entran en jueg

Football is back today and there are two games involving Barça players to look forward to...

Switzerland v Spain (Friday, 6pm CEST)

Saint Petersburg is the venue as Busquets, Pedri, Jordi Alba and Eric Garcia will be looking to get Spain, three times winners in the past, into the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time in a decade. Both teams are meeting after providing one of the most entertaining nights of international football EVER! Spain let a 3-1 lead slip against Croatia, but bounced back to win a remarkable last sixteen match 5-3. And then Switzerland looked dead and buried against Griezmann and Lenglet’s France, but found two late goals to send the game into extra time and ended up knocking out the world champions and bookies favourites on penalties. The Swiss are now looking to reach the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time ever.

Brazil v Chile (Friday, 2am CEST (Saturday morning))

Emerson started Brazil’s last group game and will be hoping to get picked again as the host country take on Chile in what promises to be a pulsating quarter finals clash. Brazil are the defending champions, but Chile, including former Barça men Claudio Bravo and Arturo Bravo, won the two before that. Brazil topped their first round group undefeated while Chile only mustered one win in four games, against Bolivia. The Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro is the venue.

Thursday 1 July

Not to be outdone, Emerson Royal and the Brazilian squad have been hard at it too...

The group stage of the Copa America was really a kind of prelude. Eight of the ten teams are still in the competition, but this is when things start getting serious. There are no second chances from now on. Argentina start the business end of the competition against Ecuador.

Martin Braithwaite and his Danish team-mates have arrived in Baku for their QF against the Czechs.

Spain are in St Petersburg revving their engines for their game with the Swiss, the side who knocked out many people's hot favourites to win the title, France. After their last sixteen games produced a total of 14 goals... can we expect another classic from these two teams in Russia? 

Another day without Euro 2020 or Copa America action, but it all gets going again tomorrow. The tournaments are now in synch with two quarter finals in each one on Friday and saturday. Here's a reminder fo the games and the Barça players that are involved: 

ALL TIMES CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME
Friday 2 July
6.00pm: Switzerland v Spain (Busquets, Alba, Pedri, García)
9.00pm: Belgium v Italy
11.00pm: Peru v Paraguay
2.00am: Brazil (Emerson) v Chile

Saturday 3 July
6.00pm: Czech Republic v Denmark (Braithwaite)
9.00pm: Ukraine v England
12.00am: Uruguay (Araujo) v Colombia
3.00am: Argentina (Messi, Agüero) v Ecuador

Wednesday 30 June

There are no games eithier in Euro 2020 or the Copa America today, after both tournaments have reached the quarter final stage, with Barça still well represented despite the eliminations of both France and Holland.

The next games with Barça involvement are on Friday, with Spain facing Switzerland at 6.00pm CEST and Brazil taking on Chile at 2.00pm CEST.