Loudest behind-closed-doors match ever? Why #ENGCRO isn’t quiet

Loudest behind-closed-doors match ever? Why #ENGCRO isn’t quiet The Nations League clash between Croatia and England was originally supposed to take place behind completely closed doors. However, a special UEFA rule turns the ghost game in Rijeka into an unusual setting for thousands of schoolchildren. England coach Thomas Tuchel has warned his team about the tricky atmosphere. A top match under extraordinary circumstances: On Saturday evening, Croatia and England will battle for the top spot in Nations League Group 3 in Rijeka. Both teams go into the match level on points and could seize first place with a win — if Spain lose to the Czech Republic at the same time. What awaits the players on the pitch, however, will have little in common with an ordinary international match. Officially, the match is being played behind closed doors. UEFA sanctioned the Croatian federation over racist incidents during last year’s quarter-final matches in Split and Paris by banning the public from attending. Even so, the stands will not be completely empty: a special rule by European football’s governing body allows children under 14 to enter free of charge. The federation organized 70 school buses to bring between 4,500 and 6,000 schoolchildren to the stadium. In addition, there will be roughly one accompanying adult for every 15 children. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.