England midfielder Jude Bellingham reportedly escapes a suspension for his celebration in the Three Lions’ 2-1 success over Slovakia in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has reportedly learned whether he will be available for the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland after a UEFA investigation into one of his celebrations.
The 21-year-old Real Madrid star saved England’s bacon in their last-16 triumph over Slovakia, forcing extra time right at the death with an astonishing bicycle kick before Harry Kane‘s winning goal.
Bellingham’s celebration made headlines for the wrong reasons, though, as was seen grabbing his crotch in the direction of the Slovakia bench, although he claimed that the gesture was an “inside joke” between friends.
Nevertheless, Bellingham risked landing himself in hot water with UEFA over the incident, with fears raised that he could potentially face a ban for Saturday’s quarter-final or indeed beyond.
However, German outlet BILD claims that the midfielder will not be facing a suspension and will be fine to line up against Switzerland, although he has been slapped with a fine of €20,000 (£16,945).
Bellingham is therefore expected to reprise his role in the England XI for the trip to Dusseldorf at the weekend, where victory would see Gareth Southgate‘s men set up a semi-final tie against either Turkey or the Netherlands.
Turkey’s Merih Demiral ‘banned for two games’ for wolf celebration
© Reuters
However, if the former nation can stun the Dutch and make it to the semis for the first time since 2008, they will have to cope without last-16 hero Merih Demiral, who has reportedly been banned for two matches for his wolf celebration.
The former Juventus centre-back made Euros history with the quickest-ever knockout goal in the men’s tournament – scoring against Austria with just 57 seconds gone – before nodding in his second of the contest in the second half.
Demiral also drew criticism for his celebration as Turkey progressed, though, making a ‘wolf’ gesture associated with a Turkish right-wing extremist movement known as The Grey Wolves.
The Al-Ahli man claimed that he celebrated in such a manner due to seeing fans in the stands doing the gesture, claiming that it was to do with his “Turkish identity”, but the Crescent-Stars must apparently now cope without him for the quarter-final and the semi-final if they make it that far.
Demiral’s ban will not be the first that UEFA have handed out at the Euros for controversial political messages, as Albania’s Mirlind Daku was suspended for two games for joining in with fans’ nationalist chants with a megaphone.
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