This archive report was first published on 6 July 2021.
Spain coach Luis Enrique is counting on a sea of Spanish and Italian expatriates to fill Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 semi-final against Italy on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, after fans from these countries were denied exemption from England's strict quarantine rules.
Despite the challenges, a crowd of 60,000 will be allowed for both semi-finals and the final at the home of English football, as coronavirus restrictions are eased.
However, England's semi-final against Denmark on Wednesday and potentially the final will have a significant advantage, as travelling supporters will be required to quarantine.
UEFA and the British government have agreed to allow up to 2,500 VIPs to attend the matches without quarantine.
"It is a strange situation," said Luis Enrique on Monday. "I hope that tomorrow there are Spanish and Italians more than English fans, but they are things we cannot control."
"I am not going to waste any energy on it. We wish it was different but we accept it," he added.
Spain's Football Federation has even launched a social media campaign, "We need you!" to appeal to English fans to support their side.
Italy's impressive 32-game unbeaten run, which started in 2018, has propelled them into the last four, while Spain have struggled, winning just one of their five games at Euro 2020 in 90 minutes.
Despite this, Spain's coach Luis Enrique has been praised for his bold decisions, including dropping former captain Sergio Ramos before the tournament.
Enrique has a history with Italy, having played against them in a contentious World Cup quarter-final in 1994, where he suffered a vicious elbow from Mauro Tassotti.
Seventeen years later, Enrique began his senior coaching career in Serie A with Roma, but lasted only one season.
However, he insists he has no hard feelings towards Italy, saying, "It's so many years ago now, I think my nose looks better."
