Croatia to remain in Rovinj during the UEFA EURO 2020

The HNS received a recommendation from UEFA to change the location of its team base camp, due to the potential impact of the Scottish COVID-19 regulations on the national team’s daily routines.  The Croatian Football Federation was unwilling to risk the possibility of positive PCR results causing a large part of the team and team staff to be issued mandatory self-isolation orders, which is why the Croatian FA has decided to change its original plan of having the team based in St Andrews during the EURO.

After a detailed analysis of all available options, and through intense consultation with UEFA, the management of the HNS has agreed with head coach Zlatko Dalić and remainder of the team staff of the Croatian national team that the team will remain in Rovinj, where the Vatreni have been training and preparing ahead of the EURO. The team will stay at Grand Park hotel, and will train at NK Rovinj Stadium.

"Considering the present circumstances, I think this is the best option for the team. We know that we’ll have excellent conditions here, that the accommodation will be impeccable, and that the training ground is of high quality – in the limited amount of time we had to make this decision, no other location could guarantee us all of the above. We’ll do our best to keep the team isolated and in peace, but I’m sure that the support of Croatian fans here can only bring us extra energy and motivation. This is the best outcome that we could reach in these strange times, and we now have a unique opportunity to spend this tournament in our own country,” said head coach Zlatko Dalić.

"We acted responsibly and we found a quick solution for our team in these exceptionally difficult circumstances. We couldn’t allow ourselves to place the whole team in danger of being sent into self-isolation by travelling to St Andrews. The national team has stayed in Rovinj multiple times and we know that we’ll have excellent service here. Choosing any other international option for our team camp this close to the EURO would have been pure improvisation. Croatia is our home, and when we take all of the outside circumstances in consideration, I believe this is where the team will be most comfortable – which is why we all agreed that staying in Rovinj was the best option,” said executive director of the HNS Marijan Kustić.

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