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LONDON — Harry Maguire insists he never feared for his England career after a turbulent year on and off the pitch that will see him aim to make amends against Denmark in the semi-finals of Euro 2020 on Wednesday.

Just 11 months ago, the Manchester United captain found himself locked up in a Greek jail for two days after a post-season holiday went wrong.

Maguire, 28, was given a suspended 21-month sentence after being found guilty of assaulting a police officer, swearing, resisting arrest and bribery during an incident in Mykonos.

He always protested his innocence and launched an appeal which nullifies the verdict and means he has no criminal record ahead of a full retrial.

The incident just days after the end of the delayed 2019/20 season had consequences that rolled into the new season.

He was dropped for England’s Nations League ties with Iceland and Denmark in September, and looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders even when he did return from club and country.

United conceded 12 goals in their opening three Premier League games, while his England return in October saw him sent off for two yellow cards after just 31 minutes as Denmark went onto win 1-0 at Wembley thanks to a Christian Eriksen penalty.

The two sides meet again in very different circumstances on Wednesday.

Denmark is riding an emotional wave after the shock of seeing Eriksen suffer a cardiac arrest in its opening game.

But in stark contrast to their last encounter behind closed doors, England will have 60,000 fans on their side and one of its key players back to his best.

Maguire scored with a bullet header as England stormed into the last four with a 4-0 win over Ukraine in Rome on Saturday, registering a seventh consecutive clean sheet in the process to set a national record.

“I never felt for my international career. I always felt I had something to bring and offer,” said Maguire on Monday.

“Without getting into too much detail of what went off in the summer I knew where I stood on behalf of that. I always knew what went off. I’m totally over it, it was a tough time, for sure, but I’ve moved on.”

Southgate’s ‘trust’ repaid

As Maguire’s form improved, so did United’s as they briefly threatened a title challenge early in 2021 before falling back to finish comfortably second in the Premier League to Manchester City.

However, it was in his absence for the final weeks of the season that his importance was fully appreciated.

Ankle ligament damage suffered in May meant Maguire missed the Europa League final, which United lost to Villarreal on a penalty shootout.

He was also a major doubt for the European Championship, but Gareth Southgate waited on him even though the former Leicester defender was not fit until the third group game.

“He picked me to make my debut and then I think ever since I’ve been available I’ve pretty much played in every game possible,” added Maguire on Southgate’s backing over the past year.

“That gives me great confidence and belief and trust going into the game to enable me to perform to my best.

“Every time I step onto the pitch I’m trying to repay the faith and the trust, because every time I go onto the pitch I want to do my best for the country.”

Maguire followed England as a fan to Euro 2016 where its run ended in an embarrassing defeat to Iceland.

Two years later he was one of the stars of the World Cup as England surpassed expectations to make the semifinal.

Twelve months on, he became the world’s most expensive defender when United paid £80 million ($111 million) to the Foxes.

And he believes his greater experience at the highest level is reflected throughout a squad filled with Champions League and Premier League winners, who are better equipped to deal with the weight of expectation in the latter stages of a major tournament.

“I think we are in a much better place than we were [in 2018]. 

“We have had a lot of big games in that period to improve on, a lot of time spent together on the training pitch and friendlies and qualifiers.

“Every game we play together we feel we are going to improve.”

MILAN — A discreet but “irreplaceable” midfield presence Jorginho has been the cornerstone of Italy’s revival from World Cup flops to Euro 2020 contenders with a semifinal against Spain awaiting in the London of his club side Chelsea on Tuesday.

One of the Azzurri’s Brazilian contingent along with domestic teammate Emerson Palmieri and Atalanta defender Rafael Toloi, Jorginho, born in the southern town of Imbituba, has brought the technical flair of the country of his birth to his adopted Italy.

“With Jorginho, everything seems simple. He is essential to this team, untouchable,” said midfield partner Marco Verratti.

“Jorginho and Verratti are two phenomena and make the team turn,” continued Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, who scored the opener in a 2-1 win over favourites Belgium which fired Italy into the final four.

“This midfield, together with that of [Serie A champions] Inter Milan, is among the strongest I’ve ever played in. Between us we create rivalries that push each other to do better and win,” Barella added.

Against the three-time European champions it will be another battle as Italy look to push their unbeaten run to 33 consecutive matches and move within one step of a title they last won in 1968.

“With Spain it will be a difficult game, we are two similar teams who both want to play the ball,” continued Barella. 

Left-back Leonardo Spinazzola, another of the motors behind Italy’s Euro 2020 run, will be out after rupturing his Achilles tendon against the Red Devils.

Santos-native Emerson, another Champions League winner with the Blues, will likely step into that role this week.

Jorginho qualifies for the Azzurri thanks to his grandfather who hails from the northern region of Vicenza.

“I feel that I’ve got the Brazilian technique with the ball, but the Italian mentality to always train hard and win,” said Jorginho.

‘The commander’

As at Stamford Bridge, where his partnership with France’s N’Golo Kante inspired the English club to Champions League victory over Manchester City, the 29-year-old is the precious shadow worker for the Azzurri.

Nicknamed the “Professor”, or “Radio Jorginho” because of his vocal instructions on the pitch, he is one of the only two outfield players to have played all five matches at the Euro, with defender Leonardo Bonucci.

“He has a strong personality, in a team he is really the commander,” former Hellas Verona sporting director Mauro Gibellini, who spotted him as a child in Brazil, told AFP.

Gibellini had created a football school in the South American country. 

He did not hesitate when he saw this 12-year-old boy, whose first coach was his mother, a former footballer, during a tournament in Jorginho’s hometown. 

After a few years in this school in Brazil, Jorginho arrived in Europe and Hellas Verona where he played in Serie B then in Serie A. 

He then joined Napoli for four years from 2014 where he flourished under Maurizio Sarri whom he followed to Chelsea. 

“Jorginho has never changed, as a child he played the way he plays today,” continued Gibellini. 

“He has a great quality, before the ball arrives, he already knows where to steer the game. He has no need to touch the ball more than once or twice.

SPIELBERG BEI KNITTELFELD, Austria — Max Verstappen reeled off his third win in a row from pole in the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday to consolidate his world championship lead over Lewis Hamilton who after finishing fourth said his toiling Mercedes team were "miles away from Red Bull".

Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas took second with McLaren's Lando Norris a fine third after picking up a five second time penalty.

Verstappen's latest step towards ending Hamilton's hold on the drivers' title triggered a carnival atmosphere in Formula One's first capacity crowd since the coronavirus pandemic struck with most of the 100,000 in attendance decked out in his Dutch orange colours.

"To see so much orange in the stands is incredible, it's an extra motivation, thank you", he told his cheering congregation at the Red Bull-owned Spielberg circuit.

"The car was unreal," added the 21-year-old threat to Hamilton's bid for an unprecedented eighth world crown who was following up his win at the track last week.

"It's insane — I'm a bit amazed myself how today went. I didn't expect it to be like this. Incredible job by everyone to deliver something like this."

After his fifth win of the season Verstappen moved on to 182 points in the standings, 32 clear of Hamilton ahead of the seven-time world champion's home British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 18.

Hamilton, without a win since Barcelona in early May, had forecast after qualifying Saturday that beating Verstappen looked unlikely.

Aside from his Red Bull rival's superior pace, damage to Hamilton's car late on in the race cost him a likely second place.

Flawless 

"We're miles away from them Red Bull. We need all hands on deck. They have brought a lot of upgrades over the last few races — and we haven't brought any," he said.

Verstappen enjoyed a flawless Sunday afternoon drive in the Austrian mountains alive with the sound of his supporters come to watch his latest step towards a possible world title.

He was clean away at lights out from Norris but by turn three the safety car had to be deployed after Esteban Ocon's race came to a premature end when his Alpine was nudged by Antonio Giovinazzi's Alfa Romeo.

Racing got back under way on lap four with Verstappen gliding clear with Norris fending off an attack on his second spot from Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull.

The Mexican, in his 200th Grand Prix, paid dearly for his audacity, going off on to the gravel to drop to 10th.

On lap 20 Norris was dealt a double blow.

He was told race stewards had handed him a five second penalty over the Perez incident, and was then overtaken by Hamilton despite valiantly trying to fend off his compatriot.

"Such a great driver, Lando," Hamilton told his pits.

After all the leaders had pitted for the first time Verstappen was over 15sec clear of the chasing Hamilton, with Bottas now up to third.

Down in midfield it was Perez's turn to pick up a five second penalty for aggressively shutting out the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Bottas was told by the pits not to overtake Hamilton whose car had picked up damage to his rear left tyre.

But by lap 52 the Finn heard over the radio he was clear to race his teammate and, fighting for his job next season, duly nipped past him.

Norris meanwhile, having served his time penalty, had Hamilton's wounded Mercedes in his cross hairs and he duly swept past to cement his fourth podium finish.

This latest win for Verstappen, who alo picked up the point for the fastest lap, has Mercedes with their backs to the wall ahead of Hamilton's home British Grand Prix on July 18.

SPIELBERG, Austria — Red Bull's world championship leader Max Verstappen will start on pole for the Austrian Grand Prix after edging out Lando Norris for McLaren in qualifying on Saturday.

Verstappen's third pole in a row puts him in a strong position to stretch his 18 point lead over Lewis Hamilton in Sunday's ninth race of the Formula One season.

"Hopefully we can finish it off tomorrow," said the 23-year-old, who was cheered on by a sea of Dutch fans at the first Grand Prix weekend to welcome back a capacity crowd since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Dutch driver's teammate Sergio Perez will start on the second row alongside Hamilton's Mercedes at the Red Bull-owned Spielberg circuit.

Verstappen topped the time sheets in Q1 and Q2, and then nailed the prime seat in the grid with a flying lap of 1min 03.720sec in Q3.

He won from pole in France and last weekend's Styrian Grand Prix at his team's home circuit, and with Monza and Monaco already ticked off win number five of the campaign looks his to lose.

That is certainly how Hamilton rates his prospects of stopping the Red Bull charge to the 2021 world title.

"I would say a win is out of the question," said Hamilton, whose last success was back in Barcelona in early May.

The seven-time world champion reckoned Red Bull "have improved their car again this weekend".

"So that's an easy cruise win for Max," he forecast. "Maybe we can just try and get ahead of at least Sergio Perez and limit the damage this weekend."

Hamilton, who signed a new two-year contract extension up to 2023 with Mercedes earlier Saturday, has been urging the Silver Arrows to introduce upgrades to keep pace with Red Bull.

"It will be even more of a challenge than last week. We continue to lack pace, we tried everything to get more out of the car.

"We have got to find performance in the next races," he said.

"When I look at it, I'm losing out on the lap. Max is just faster."

Norris was only denied his maiden pole by 0.048sec, the talented 21-year-old British driver's performance the latest sign of his team's resurgence.

"I feel epic, this is cool! That was probably one of the best laps I have done, it puts us in a great position for tomorrow," said the driver in fourth position in the standings.

His more experienced teammate Daniel Ricciardo is 52 points behind and was almost a second behind after failing to make it out of Q2.

On the third row of Sunday's grid are Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly with his Alpha Tauri teammate Yuki Tsunoda just behind in the fourth row with the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel.

George Russell did a fine job to get his Williams into Q3 to take his place on the fifth row with Lance Stroll's Aston Martin completing the top 10.

The Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc did not make it out of Q2.

SAINT PETERSBURG — Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic said Thursday that he is not "satisfied" with taking his side past France and into a first major tournament quarter-final since 1954, as they prepare to face Spain in the last eight.

The Swiss have never reached the semi-finals of the World Cup or European Championship, but a stunning victory over world champions France has put them on the brink of making history.

"We need to be hungry to make it to the next round," Petkovic said ahead of his team's match against Spain in Saint Petersburg on Friday.

"From this point on I can't say I'm satisfied — because, for me, the next step is always the most important.

"We want to make it to the next round, even if we're facing one of the favourites in Spain."

Switzerland led, missed a penalty, fell 3-1 down and then fought back for a dramatic 3-3 draw before beating France on penalties in the last 16 on Monday.

Their captain Granit Xhaka was man-of-the-match after an excellent display in midfield, but he will be suspended against Spain after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament against the French.

"I will prepare as I do for every match," said Xherdan Shaqiri, who will take over as skipper.

"I never change the routine, even if I'm wearing the captain's armband. I am very proud to lead the team in such an important match, and I want to show my skills on the pitch and help the side."

Switzerland have history against Spain, winning a group-stage encounter between the two at the 2010 World Cup, a tournament the Spaniards went on to win.

They also played out a dramatic 1-1 Nations League draw last November which saw goalkeeper Yann Sommer, the shoot-out hero against France, save two penalties from Sergio Ramos.

"We have shown that we don't just defend," added Liverpool's Shaqiri.

"As we proved against France, we can score more than one goal. We want to show our style of football, 100 per cent, if we do that then everything is possible."

Swiss 'very tough opponents'

Spain could have been forgiven for expecting to face France in the quarters after their own thrilling 5-3 extra-time victory over Croatia earlier on Monday.

But coach Luis Enrique insisted that Spain, bidding for a record fourth European Championship title, would not take Switzerland lightly.

"Truth is that Switzerland went through and nothing else really matters," Luis Enrique said.

"The luck that we have, or the misfortune, is that we know each other very well having played each other in the Nations League.

"They will be very tough opponents. One of the best collectives in the tournament and it is going to be tough."

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon allowed a Pedriback-pass to somehow dribble into the net to give Croatia an early lead in the last 16, but made a brilliant save from Andrej Kramaric in extra time before goals from Alvaro Morataand Mikel Oyarzabal put them through.

"With Unai Simon, it is not the error that matters, it is what you do after the error," said Luis Enrique.

"That is what Unai Simon did brilliantly. I remember Rafa Nadal saying tennis players have the memory of a fish and in football it is the same... 

"Unai's [mistake] was just about execution. Memory of a fish and what he did after the mistake is what we want from Unai and from our goalkeepers. He was outstanding."

The winners will face Italy or Belgium in the semifinals at Wembley on Tuesday.

LONDON — Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane fired England into the Euro 2020 quarter-finals as it sealed a 2-0 win against Germany that ended decades of hurt at the hands of the bitter rivals on Tuesday.

Sterling struck with 15 minutes left in a tense last 16 tie at Wembley before Kane clinched England’s first knockout-stage victory over Germany since 1966.

In the 55 years since England beat the Germans in the World Cup final, it had endured a painful litany of defeats against Die Mannschaft when the stakes were highest.

England was eliminated from the 1970, 1990 and 2010 World Cups by Germany, which also beat them in the Euro 96 semi-finals at Wembley.

But Gareth Southgate’s side have finally exorcised the ghosts of Paul Gascoigne’s tears and their own manager’s penalty miss 25 years ago.

England produced a gritty display capped by clinical finishes from Sterling, who now has three goals in the tournament, and Kane — who at last bagged his first of the competition.

England, yet to concede a goal in the tournament, heads to Rome on Saturday for a quarter-final against Ukraine.

Andriy Shevchenko’s team beat 10-man Sweden 2-1 after extra-time in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Chasing a first major international trophy since 1966, England’s side of the draw looks wide open, with a potential semifinal against Denmark or the Czech Republic unlikely to strike fear into their hearts.

It was only England’s second knockout-stage win in the history of the European Championship and its first victory over Germany at Wembley since 1975.

“We talked about bringing enjoyment to the nation and afternoons like this are what that’s about,” Southgate said.

“We deserved the win. The players were absolutely immense, right the way through the team.

“But I’ve had to say to them straight away; I’m the party-pooper because if we don’t capitalise on that on Saturday now, then it doesn’t count for anything.”

For Germany manager Joachim Loew, it was an agonising end to his reign as he prepares to step down after the tournament.

Loew, who led Germany to World Cup glory in 2014, said: “We didn’t take advantage of two great opportunities with Mueller and Werner.

“The team gave everything but we were not clinical enough. You know every mistake can be fatal. We lack a little experience in certain situations.”

Always keen to deflect attention, Southgate will have relished his moment of redemption, especially since his decision to switch to a three-man defence to match up with the German formation paid off.

Knockout blow

England needed a tone-setting moment to ease their visible anxiety early on and Sterling provided it as he drove forward for a 25-yard blast that forced a fine save from Manuel Neuer.

Germany almost snatched the lead as Kai Havertz played an inch-perfect pass to Timo Werner inside the England area, but he shot straight at Jordan Pickford.

A misplaced pass from Thomas Mueller sent Sterling scampering through the Germany defence on the stroke of half-time.

Yet, when the ball ran to Kane, he was too slow to apply the finishing touch as he rounded Neuer and Mats Hummels’ tackle snuffed out the danger.

Havertz’s blistering half-volley forced a superb tip over from Pickford soon after the interval, but Southgate made a game-defining change when he sent on Jack Grealish for Bukayo Saka.

Grealish’s presence immediately brought more energy to England and in the 75th minute they finally delivered the knockout blow.

Grealish worked the ball wide to Luke Shaw and his low cross reached Sterling, who pounced with a clinical close-range finish to send Wembley into ecstasy.

Mueller should have equalised when Havertz’s pass sent him clean through, but the Bayern Munich star rolled his shot wide and fell to the turf in dismay.

Kane made Mueller pay in the 86th minute as he finished off a lethal England counter-attack with a diving header past Neuer from Grealish’s cross.

During the first day of England’s Euro camp at St George’s Park, Southgate showed his squad a motivational video featuring some of the team’s greatest victories.

Now they have added their own chapter to the list of England’s finest moments.

COPENHAGEN — Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal scored extra-time goals as Spain beat Croatia 5-3 in an epic tie in Copenhagen on Monday to secure a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.

Spain had looked to be cruising into the last eight at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen thanks to goals from Pablo Sarabia, Cesar Azpilicueta and Ferran Torres which had put Luis Enrique’s side 3-1 ahead with 13 minutes remaining in normal time.

However substitute Mislav Orsic pulled one back following a chaotic goalmouth scramble in the 85th minute and then supplied the cross from which Mario Pasalic headed Croatia level in the second minute of stoppage time to take the match to the additional half-hour.

Spain eventually prevailed — after some scares — in a thrilling contest with a fine finish from under-fire forward Morata and Oyarzabal’s breakaway strike giving Luis Enrique’s side the win its overall play deserved.

Spain had not won a major tournament knockout match since thrashing Italy in the Euro 2012 final but now progress to a quarter-final in Saint Petersburg on Friday.

“We suffered a lot. It’s been many tournaments since we last won a knockout-round match and we managed to do it against the World Cup runners-up,” said Azpilicueta.

Spain should have been a goal ahead in the 16th minute when Koke was put clean through by an inch-perfect Pedri pass, but with the goal at his mercy the Atletico Madrid man could only shoot straight at Dominik Livakovic.

Then three minutes later Morata, who was selected by Luis Enrique despite poor form in the group stage which led to abuse by Spain fans of him and his family, saw his point-blank range header blocked by Domagoj Vida.

Almost immediately afterwards disaster struck for Spain through Pedri’s own goal, which came after goalkeeper Unai Simon allowed his bobbling back-pass to bounce over his foot and gently roll into the net.

Spain were rattled by the opening goal but quickly recovered to carry on dominating the ball and got a deserved leveller seven minutes before the break through the enterprising Sarabia, who lashed home on the rebound after Jose Gaya’s shot was well saved by Livakovic.

Croatia fightback

The second half got off to a slower start but Croatia continued to offer little and Spain had the lead in the 57th minute through Azpilicueta, who couldn’t miss with his close-range header from Ferran Torres’ well-flighted cross after a burst into the area from the impressive Pedri.

And with 13 minutes remaining Torres put Spain two ahead with a classy piece of finishing.

The Manchester City attacker perfectly read the flight of substitute Pau Torres’ raking long pass from near the halfway line to the edge of Croatia’s area, and he easily swept past Josko Gvardiol before slotting home a calm finish.

With the match looking as good as over Orsic sparked the large Croatian support in the Parken back to life when he prodded home following confusion in the Spain penalty area.

And then with time running out for Croatia the stands erupted as Pasalic met fellow substitute Orsic’s cross to take a match which had previously looked dead, to extra time.

“When you’re winning 3-1 with 10 minutes to go it’s something you need to learn from,” said Luis Enrique.

“We don’t have that much international experience in the squad and perhaps those sorts of mistakes are inevitable.”

It was Croatia which was initially the more threatening after the restart but Morata put Spain back in front nine minutes into extra time when he deftly controlled Dani Olmo’s cross and lashed a rocket of a shot past Livakovic.

Oyarzabal then finally made sure of Spain’s passage into the quarters three minutes later thanks to another superb Olmo cross which allowed the Real Sociedad player to rattle home a close-range finish and definitively put an enthralling contest to bed.