Czech Republic cancel plans to use Edinburgh training base due to Covid 'rules in Scotland'

Czech Republic will no longer the Oriam in Edinburgh as their training base for the Euros. Picture: SNS

The Hearts training ground is normally used by the Scotland National Team.

The Czechs, who Scotland will face in their Euros opener at Hampden Park, booked it out prior to Steve Clarke's men qualifying and their official Euros branding has already been set up at the Oriam.

However, due to “COVID-19 restrictions and rules in Scotland”, they have opted to stay in Prague and fly in for games separately.

The Czechs note the current guidelines don’t “go along with the UEFA Return to Play Protocol” with one positive test forcing the team to quarantine.

As well as their fixture with Scotland at Hampden, they will face Croatia in Mount Florida with their final match coming against England at Wembley.

The national team posted through their official Twitter account: “The Czech national team will spend the whole UEFA #EURO2020 tournament in Prague instead of the basecamp in Edinburgh as it was planned originally. It's all due to the COVID-19 restrictions and rules in Scotland.

“We will flight to each of our group stage matches separately.

“One positively tested member of the team would mean the quarantine for the whole team as Scotland's restrictions say right now.

“It doesn't go along with the UEFA Return to Play Protocol. The Czech team has to negotiate accommodation, training pitch, and other logistic things.”

It could have a possible knock-on effect.

Scotland are set to be based in Middlesbrough for the tournament. It is unclear yet whether their plans could now change.