Expat England fans make journey to Rome for Euro 2020 quarter-final with Ukraine

England fans milled with their Ukrainian counterparts on the perimeter of Rome’s Stadio Olimpico ahead of their Euro 2020 quarter-final clash.

With supporters based in England not issued match tickets, the Three Lions fans assembling were from further afield – with groups from Prague and Salzburg among those in attendance.

Flags of St George draped the shoulders of a number of fans, while the yellow and blue of Ukraine was also well-represented outside the ground.

There were also shirts in support of Germany, France and – of course – Italy, who had booked their own place in the semi-finals with victory over Belgium on Friday night.

While there were minor issues gaining access to the stadium as UEFA staff checked tickets and negative coronavirus tests, there was no angst as the odd, broken chorus of ‘Football’s Coming Home’ filled the warm Rome evening.

Inside the 72,000-seater arena, there were smatterings of fans taking their seat early ahead of a game which was expected to be played in front of a much smaller crowd than the one which roared England to victory over Germany in the last-16 at Wembley.

There were murmurs of discontent when the teams were announced and Gareth Southgate had once again opted to leave Jack Grealish on the bench, but the rest of the teams were cheered with as much muster as could be delivered inside such a vast, empty bowl.

Victory for either side would see them meet Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday evening, when a crowd of around 60,000 is expected to attend.