The Belgian star footballer Kevin De Bruyne has criticized the complicated draw mode for the European Championship 2020 as "shame". "For me it feels like distortion of competition", scored the English midfielder Manchester City after the qualifier against Cyprus (6: 1).
Even before the draw of the European Championship groups in Bucharest on 30 November, it is certain that Belgium will play in the preliminary round against Russia and Denmark. Wales or Finland will join Group B as the fourth team. "Football has become more and more a business," said De Bruyne the Belgian station VTM Nieuws. "That takes all the tension and pleasure from the draw."
That the opponents of the Red Devils are already known, is due to the EM mode. Each of the six European Championship groups has two co-hosts, each playing in their home groups - Lostopf 1 is Germany, Italy, Spain and England; Belgium and Ukraine are assigned to other groups. As Ukraine is not allowed to play in Russia for political reasons, Belgium joins the St. Petersburg Group B.
Criticism came not only from De Bruyne. Ronald Koeman, Netherlands Bondscoach, admitted he had not figured out the mode yet. "I do not really understand this new format," he said in a conversation with "De Telegraaf": "I've already asked in the association if I really should go to this draw on November 30."