England facing UEFA punishment over disciplinary breach in bore draw with Slovenia

England could be hit with a UEFA fine following the irate response from fans to the uninspiring 0-0 draw with Slovenia at Euro 2024 on Tuesday, as supporter behaviour has already seen three nations penalised during the tournament.

Despite a lacklustre performance that saw them unable to dominate 57th-ranked Slovenia, the Three Lions still managed to scrape through to the top of Group C. Gareth Southgate's squad, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Phil Foden, failed to impress, leaving many questioning England's tactics.

After the match in Cologne, Southgate, along with his players, made their way to thank the travelling supporters. However, the fans did not hold back their disappointment, with boos echoing around the stadium and some even throwing plastic cups towards the manager.

Southgate, addressing the media, said to ITV : "I understand the reactions but it is a tough environment," and went on to explain his strategy: "We tried to win the game by the changes we made. We put attacking players on the pitch."

He also acknowledged the personal criticism he's facing: "I understand the narrative towards me. That's better for the team than it being towards them. But it's creating an unusual environment to operate in. I've not seen any other team qualify and receive similar.", reports the Mirror.

In an attempt to inject life into the team, Southgate made several substitutions in the second half, introducing Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Anthony Gordon. Despite these efforts, the hostile reaction from the crowd may now result in repercussions for the FA.

UEFA has already taken action against Albania, Serbia, and Croatia for incidents involving fans throwing objects onto the pitch during the tournament.

Albania faced a fine of €12,375 due to a breach of Article 16(2)(b) DR 'throwing of objects' after their opening match against Italy in Dortmund, as part of various sanctions which also included penalties for lighting fireworks, pitch invasions, and displaying provocative banners.

Serbia was hit with a €4,500 fine for similar offences during their game against England, while Croatia received a €10,500 fine for their fans' actions involving fireworks in the match against Albania.

Further repercussions could be on the horizon for Croatia after fans threw plastic cups onto the pitch in their game against Italy, prompting discussions that UEFA might consider banning alcohol in stadiums if such behaviour persists.

Discussing the fan reactions on BBC Radio Five Live, Southgate remarked: "I get it that they are not happy with me, that is the reality, I am not going to back away from that. I need them behind the team."

He continued, addressing the support he requires: "I have to deal with what I am dealing with. I was not going to back away from going over to thank people for coming and giving the support that they did, but I know that this is causing an issue for the group."

Southgate emphasised the importance of fan support: "I can deal with that but I need them to support the players. The more the fans are like they were in the second half, behind the team it is a massive lift for them, because we are operating in a very, very unusual environment."