Platini: France are preparing well for Euro 2016

UEFA president Michel Platini is delighted with the progress being made at the Euro 2016 venues in France.

The tournament was awarded to Platini’s home country in 2010 ahead of Italy and Turkey and the 11 venues it plans to use are all on schedule to be ready well in advance of the planned start date.

The event will be a 24-team tournament for the first time in its history after UEFA increased the number of participants from 16 at Euro 2012, with France, who have won the tournament on three occasions, not having to qualify as the home nation.

The work being done around the country will see some new stadiums being built and others being renovated. A new 50,000-seater stadium in Lille and a 35,624 capacity ground in Nice have already been completed, the new home for Olympique Lyonnais will be open for the start of next season.

Redevelopment work will also commence in Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse and Lens in the coming months as the country aims to be ready well ahead of schedule, something that the Frenchman was proud of.

“Things are progressing well,” Platini said.

“There were plenty of green lights, and some that were more amber. Four years ago with Poland and Ukraine all the lights were at red.

“I was very happy that the colours this time were different. I hope the stadiums in France are ready as quickly as possible.”

Platini also called on the conversations between referees to be recorded from next season after what he felt was a clear foul in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg between Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Thomas Mueller appeared to block Jordi Alba’s run as Arjen Robben dribbled towards goal before scoring, something Platini felt was a clear foul and moved him to call for the officials to be recorded in the future so that it would be clearer why decisions had not been given.

“I have asked the general secretary to record conversations between officials in matches involving five officials,” he said.

“I understand the error of the referee who didn’t see the foul by Mueller.

“But there were three international standard referees involved and none of them saw it. Something is not right, between three, they have
to see it.”