Kevin De Bruyne hit out at UEFA and called next summer’s Euro 2020 ‘a fake competition’, as Belgium already know who they will play in the group stage.
The draw takes place live on talkSPORT 2 at 5pm today, but the Red Devils won’t be paying much attention to it – they know who will be joining them in Group B.
Due to seedings and rules involving host nations, three of the four teams in Group B have already been determined, with Belgium guaranteed to face Denmark and Russia next summer.
The official Euro 2020 draw is scheduled for November 30, but Roberto Martinez’s men have the rare advantage of already knowing who their opponents will be.
For the first time, the European Championships will be played in 12 host cities from 12 nations, with Wembley Stadium staging the semi-finals and final.
Belgium join Italy, England, Germany, Spain and Ukraine in the top seeds, but FOUR of those sides are hosting this special edition of the tournament.
Only Belgium and Ukraine are forced to travel for ALL of their games, which means Belgium must be in a pot with two nations who ARE hosting.
In Pot 2, only Holland and Russia are hosts, but Ukraine – the other non-hosting Pot 1 side – cannot be paired up with Russia due to political tensions, meaning Belgium will 100 per cent face Russia.
In Pot 3, Denmark are the only host nation, and so Belgium must join them in Group B.
Belgium are now only waiting to find out who the fourth team in their group will be.
They join Wales – whose win over Hungary last week sealed their place in the finals – and Finland in Pot 4, along with four play-off winners who are still to be decided.
On the ‘fixed’ draw, a cynical De Bruyne moaned on Belgian TV: “It is a shame, a scandal, honestly.
“This feels like competition distortion, a fake competition. Football is not really football any more, it’s becoming a business.”
The Netherlands are in a similar position – they have already been placed in Group C with Ukraine.
And that baffled head coach Ronald Koeman, who has questioned if he needs to bother turning up for the draw.
“I don’t really understand this new format,” he told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“I have asked my federation if I still need to bother going to the draw on November 30.”
The complicated draw also means England could potentially be placed in the tournament’s ‘Group of Death’.
The Three Lions are top seeds after storming their qualification campaign, but they could face World Cup holders France – who are among the second seeds – and defending European champions Portugal – among the third seeds – in their group.
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