This archive report was first published on 12 June 2021.
Published on June 12, 2021, England's European Championship campaign has sparked debate among teams, with Croatia captain Luka Modric questioning the fairness of their home games at Wembley.
England will host their group stage matches against Croatia, Scotland, and the Czech Republic at Wembley, while several other teams are playing their group matches on home turf due to UEFA's decision to stage the tournament across 11 cities.
Italy kicked off the delayed event with a 3-0 win against Turkey in front of their own fans in Rome on Friday, but England's advantage is potentially decisive, with two last 16 matches, both semi-finals, and the final also being played at Wembley.
Real Madrid midfielder Modric expressed his concerns about the lack of Croatian supporters at Wembley, stating, “I think so, yes. Everyone would say teams at home with a crowd, that there is a slight advantage.”
Modric was part of the Croatia team that defeated England in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals in Russia and admits Gareth Southgate's side are a significant threat, rating them “very highly” and expecting an “English team that will be very aggressive, very powerful from the beginning with the public at its side.”
