England pair Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell isolating and out of England vs Czech Republic
Chelsea team-mates also at risk of missing last-16 tie if England finish as runners-up
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Your support makes all the difference.Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell will miss England’s final Euro 2020 group stage game against the Czech Republic while isolating and could also sit out of their last-16 tie.
The Chelsea pair must isolate until next Monday after being confirmed as close contacts of Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.
The Football Association said on Monday that Mount and Chilwell had an “interaction” with Gilmour after the goalless draw with Scotland at Wembley last Friday.
Both players have twice tested negative since then but, after the national team set-up consulted Public Health England, they have been identified as close contacts of Gilmour and advised to stay away from the rest of the squad.
Mount and Chilwell will continue to train in private areas of England’s St George’s Park headquarters but the restrictions make them doubts for England’s first game of the knock-out stages.
The pair are certainly out of this evening’s final group outing against the Czech Republic, which England must win in order to finish top of the group.
Progressing as group winners would mean that Southgate’s side play the runners-up of Group F at Wembley next Tuesday, the day after Mount and Chilwell’s period of isolation ends.
Anything less than a win is likely to see England finish as runners-up, in which case they would play the runners-up of Group E in Copenhagen next Monday. Mount and Chilwell would be unavailable in that scenario.
If England finish third in Group D, they will either play on 27 or 29 June. Southgate’s side are assured of a place in the knock-out stages after results elsewhere went their way on Monday.
An FA statement read: “Chilwell and Mount will isolate and train individually in private areas at England’s training base St. George’s Park, with the rest of the squad returning there after tonight’s fixture against Czech Republic at Wembley.
“We will continue to follow all Covid-19 protocols and the UEFA testing regime, while remaining in close contact with PHE.
“The entire England squad and staff had lateral flow tests on Monday and all were again negative, as was the case with Sunday’s Uefa pre-match PCR tests. Further tests will be carried out as and when appropriate.”
Mount and Chilwell are understood to have spoken with Gilmour, their club team-mate, in the players’ tunnel after Friday’s 0-0 draw. No members of Scotland’s squad other than Gilmour will isolate.
Southgate was expected to start Mount against the Czech Republic, while Chilwell was in contention to start at left-back having missed England’s two opening games.
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