The Euros are supposed to be a football feast, but the spectre has already turned up.

Even before the first dish has been served (Italy vs Turkey at 3am Saturday Malaysian time), Spain and Sweden have each reported that two players have tested positive for Covid-19.

As the two countries are scheduled to meet on Tuesday (3am in Malaysia), the UEFA European Championships could be looking at damage limitation while still on the first course.

A month is a long time in a pandemic and, with 24 teams having to fly what seems a million air miles between 11 venues to complete 51 games, it could be a very long four weeks indeed.

So football, which is meant to be a distraction from troubling reality, is overshadowed by events off the field even more than the inaugural tournament was by the Cold War.

Back in 1960, three of the four semi-finalists were communist nations, and the winner was the Soviet Union.

This tournament should, of course, have been held last year to celebrate the 60th anniversary, but, like almost everything else, fell victim to the virus.

But now, with its South American counterpart, the Copa America, in grave danger of being cancelled and the Olympics likely to be a soulless shadow of its usual self, the Euros have been seen as sport’s symbol of hope.

With appetites for watching football with fans whetted at the end of the club season, and a fascinating, open tournament in prospect, the tables have been laid.

And if anything can lift the mood, it’s some cracking football.

The good news is the draw delivered a mouth-watering appetiser – a Group of Death or, to be precise, Near Death.

With four third-place teams advancing from the group stage, missing out on the top two places is not an automatic death sentence.

And this may allow for a narrow escape although two defeats would surely mean the end.

Thanks to Covid, we perhaps need reminding that France are world champions, in form and favourites.

Portugal are defending champions and Germany are… well, Germany.

All three will duke it out in Group F with outsiders Hungary getting the short straw.

On paper, France have the best individuals, are strong in all departments and have a bit of history as an extra incentive.

If they emulate their predecessors of the Zidane generation by holding the World Cup and Euros at the same time, they’ll be the only country to have done it twice.

With Kylian Mbappe’s electric heels, Ngolo Kante’s prodigious work rate and reading of the game, and the old head of Karim Benzema, they have potential match winners who have done it on the big occasions.

Besides Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal boast a strong Manchester City contingent in EPL Player of the Year, Ruben Dias, a rock-like presence at the back, Joao Cancelo, a ball-playing fullback, and the non-stop running of Bernardo Silva.

Remember, even if CR7 is over the hill, they did it without him for much of the previous final.

Germany, who are rebuilding, may regret sticking to the tired-looking coach, Jogi Low, who will retire at the end of the tournament.

Having bowed out early at the last World Cup, they will be expected to atone, but it may have been better to let successor Hansi Flick take immediate charge: new manager bounce and all that.

If the champions don’t come from this group, then Belgium, who have the easiest group on paper, could finally end football’s longest drought and win something.

With pass master Kevin de Bruyne likely to be fit and Romelu Lukaku raring to go, they will be hard to defend against.

Only thing is most of them are on the wrong side of 30 so for this Golden Generation, it’s the Last Chance Saloon.

England are not used to being among the favourites, but they have a talented young side that is better than at the World Cup where they reached the semi-finals.

They may have lain a few bogeys – even winning a penalty shootout in 2018 – and have home advantage at the beginning and, if they get that far, the end as the semis and final will be at Wembley.

Their group could be tricky with Croatia, who knocked them out in Russia, and Scotland, not sides to lie down.

But if manager Gareth Southgate lets his exciting attackers off the leash, they could at last give long-suffering England fans a trophy to cheer.

With Spain enduring another off-field drama on the eve of a tournament – last time it was axing their manager – and in a state of reconstruction, it might not be their time.

Which leaves Italy who are maturing into a side greater than the sum of their parts under Roberto Mancini.

Often a tournament team, they could be dark horses and shouldn’t have much trouble in winning Group A where they face Wales, Switzerland and Turkey.

There could be much to savour, and we just have to hope that UEFA has not made a rod for its own back by insisting on this pan-continental format when the virus is still so prevalent.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.