Euro 2012 Qualifiers

[Keystone Phil]

With one month and one day until kickoff, the main talking point is about leaders boycotting because of the situation in Ukraine. And I just saw a headline about Löw saying Germany will send a team. Of course they are sending a team...or are some nations considering boycotting completely? Christ Almighty.

They couldn't just give the tournament to Italy, could they? No, no...that would have been too easy.   How long until Platini is out anyway?

[Keystone Phil]

Also Puyol is undergoing surgery and won't be at the Euros, meaning Spain has to rely on Pique hahahaha.

And I thought Barca's collapse was going to be the only bad news for Spain heading into the tournament...

[Keystone Phil]

I know Italy performs best when expectations are low but Prandelli said Italy will not win the tournament. How the hell does the coach of a top team do that?

[Keystone Phil]

Didn't Laurent Blanc say the same thing a few months ago as well?

Not exactly the standard I wanted to live up to...

Though, ironically enough, I expect France to go undefeated in the group stage (the only team to do so). I'll post my predictions once the official thread opens (which would probably be appropriate after all of the major domestic leagues have wrapped up).

[Keystone Phil]

Barcelona has confirmed that David Villa will not be playing for Spain at Euro 2012. Another major (though somewhat expected) blow to the defending champions.

[Keystone Phil]

Awww...I missed a goal fest that wasn't a blow out (and it resulted in a defeat for Germany)! Damn. I guess I shouldn't complain too much: relaxing on the beach is enjoyable.

[Keystone Phil]

BTW, Phil, do you have anything in particular (I could understand it with all the Bayern players) against the German national team, or is it more of a "eliminate the viable competition" thing, from an Italian perspective?

Franzl, come on. You know me well enough: I'm an Azzurri fan through and through. I have to be against Germany.   But you also know me well enough to know that I don't really wish to see the "viable competition" eliminated. I'm a traditional powers guy. I want to see Germany do well...and then fall to us in the tournament.   I can cheer losses like this one though since it is meaningless.

[Keystone Phil]

Spain won 2-0 over Serbia.

[Keystone Phil]

Another chapter of Italy's betting scandal opens hours before the final 23 are selected for the Euros - http://iphone.france24.com/en/20120528-italy-football-mauri-betting-fixing-corruption-serie-a-european-championship

Investigators arrived at the training camp as players were asleep. Before the Italy haters start jumping for joy, remember what happened the last time a betting scandal took place right before an international tournament.

[Keystone Phil]

And now Bonucci is apparently being investigated. He better be able to play under the pressure (a la Juve players in 2006) but that's if Prandelli even gives him the benefit of the doubt and includes him in the final 23.

[Keystone Phil]

Italy-Luxembourg Friendly called off after another earthquake hits the Parma region, this time killing ten people - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/05/29/2080.ap.soc.italy.luxembourg.cancelled.125/index.html


The Italian team's hotel was evacuated. This has been quite a lead up to the tournament...

[Keystone Phil]

Wow! Amazing goal by South Korea against Spain! 1-1.

[Keystone Phil]

Lampard out of Euros.

[Keystone Phil]

Russia up 2-0 on Italy. 

[Keystone Phil]

3-0

Hope this serves as a wake up call.

[Keystone Phil]

Not sure if Russia is good or Italy just sucks...

I couldn't find a stream to actually watch a game. Fellow Azzurri fans claims the first half was good for us. Pirlo was "amazing" and Buffon kept a clean sheet. He left at half time after a minor injury but is fine. Unfortunately, our back up goalie (Napoli's De Sanctis) then let in three but two of the goals were very lucky for Russia.

Even if it wasn't as bad as it looks, if Italy was so good in the first half, we should have scored at least one goal. Hopefully, this game shook the fear out of them unlike in 2008 when we were ripped apart by the Dutch in our opener.