Scotland's potential Euro 2020 opener will not be played in front of a full Hampden, warns Jason Leitch

Scotland's national clinical director Jason Leitch has warned that Scotland will not have the backing of a full Hampden if they qualify for next summer’s Euro 2020.
Scotland defeated Israel in front of an empty Hampden Park in their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Scotland defeated Israel in front of an empty Hampden Park in their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Scotland defeated Israel in front of an empty Hampden Park in their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The national stadium has been selected as one of the host venues for the rescheduled tournament and should Steve Clarke’s men defeat Serbia in the play-off final next month their opening fixture is scheduled to take place on home soil on June 14 against the Czech Republic.

However, speaking on BBC Scotland's Off the Ball programme on whether he thought a full house would be in attendance for what would be Scotland's first match at a major finals since 1998, Leitch replied: "I don't. I do not think we'll be back to complete normality by June 2021.

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"I'm very hopeful that by then we'll have considerable scientific breakthroughs including a vaccine.

"We may not have the whole population vaccinated by then but we're pretty confident we'll have a vaccine in the spring and summer of 2021 that would allow considerably more people to go about their business at live events and stadiums.

"I don't think it will be full though by June. I hope I'm wrong and I hope we're back to what people are calling the next normal by then and we're living with the virus as an endemic disease like we live with flu and tuberculosis. I'm very hopeful for that, but if you made me put money on it I'd say not by June 14.”

Should Scotland qualify they would also face Croatia at Hampden in their final group match on June 22.