SPORTS AGENDA: Police in Germany relieved as Turkey crash out of Euro 2024, the huge price to watch England’s semi-final… and Anthony Taylor faces wrath of host fans

Police in Germany breathed a sigh of relief after the Netherlands came from behind to defeat Turkey and set up a semi-final against England in Dortmund on Wednesday.

Dortmund has a huge Turkish population and there were concerns an England v Turkey clash would result in crowd trouble given the history between the countries.

England’s following in Germany includes a significant number of Leeds supporters. In 2000, two Leeds fans were stabbed to death in Istanbul before a UEFA Cup semi-final against Galatasaray. 

While England’s fixture against the Netherlands is seen as lower risk, there will still be a considerable number of police on duty. 

England will instead play the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final clash on Wednesday

The true cost to watch England 

The cheapest tickets available for England’s semi-final against the Netherlands are £500 on resale site viagogo, with the Dutch expected to have a 60-40 advantage at Dortmund’s 80,000-seat Westfalenstadion including turning the famous Yellow Wall orange. 

Despite an allocation of only 7,000 for England’s quarter-final against Switzerland, fans again found ways to get their hands on tickets. 

Mail Sport has seen evidence of some boasting about squeezing through the entrance behind a fan with a valid ticket — and are now planning a repeat on Wednesday. 

Five people were arrested for trying to force their way into the stadium without a ticket. 

The cheapest tickets available for England’s semi-final against the Netherlands are £500 on a resale site

Exhibition held at former German concentration camp 

Buchenwald, the concentration camp in which an estimated 56,000 died at the hands of the Nazis, is a short drive from England’s training base in Blankenhain. To mark Germany hosting the Euros, an exhibition is being held at the camp. It explores in harrowing detail the lives of professional footballers who had the misfortune to be detained there. 

Among them was Eugene Maes, who played for a number of Paris clubs and scored 15 goals in 11 matches for France. Maes’ career was cut short by an injury sustained in the First World War and he went on to work as a swimming and dance coach. Following Germany’s invasion, a joke Maes made about the swimming ability of German soldiers saw him arrested by the Gestapo in 1943. 

Three months later, he was on his way to Buchenwald. Maes was put to hard labour and later transferred to a nearby death camp. He is believed to have died in March 1945. 

To mark Germany hosting the Euros, an exhibition is being held at former concentration camp Buchenwald

Germany fans want Anthony Taylor pulled from duty 

Outraged Germany fans have launched a petition to have Anthony Taylor removed from the UEFA referees’ list.

They are fuming with the English official and his VAR team for failing to award the hosts a penalty for handball against Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella in their quarter-final defeat last Friday. Spain won the tie 2-1 in extra time. 

Outraged Germany fans have launched a petition to have Anthony Taylor removed from the UEFA referees’ list

BBC staff left out of pocket 

The BBC’s rank-and-file in Germany are out of pocket after an issue with the broadcaster’s expenses system. Frustrated staff have now gone 11 days without recompense. 

Those affected, many not on the vast sums enjoyed by top talent at the Beeb, are down by about £600. 

Comms chief set for political move

If IOC president Thomas Bach stays on for another controversial term, he may well have to do without Mark Adams, his British communications supremo. Adams is tipped for a role at Number 10 with pal Sir Keir Starmer. 

Gareth Bale competes in Germany 

Wales may have failed to make it to the Euros, but one Welsh player has been in action in Germany. Gareth Bale has been taking part in golf’s BMW International in Munich, alongside former Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. 

Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has been taking part in golf’s BMW International in Munich

Water fears alleviating in Paris 

Paris 2024 organisers are confident water quality for the triathlon and open-water swimming events will be good enough by the start of the Games in under three weeks. 

Tests done two weeks ago revealed the presence of E Coli bacteria but new readings show a vast improvement. 

Man United exec joins Formula E 

Ellie Norman who left her post as Manchester United’s communications boss last month, is the new chief marketing officer at Formula E.