Euro 2012 - Official Discussion Thread

[Keystone Phil]

We are officially one week away from the biggest Football/Soccer/Calcio/Futbol/Fußball tournament of the year and we've exhausted the "Euro 2012 Qualifiers" thread so I think it's appropriate that we open the official discussion thread.

Please use this thread as a reference (see below for official links and the groups) and a place to discuss any news related to the tournament.

UEFA Euro 2012 - Poland-Ukraine

June 8 - July 1

Group A

Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

Group B

The Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

Group C

Spain
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Croatia

Group D

Ukraine
Sweden
France
England


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/index.html


Also, for fun, feel free to check out ESPN's Bracket Predictor! It would be cool to have a little Forum competition going. - http://games.espn.go.com/euro-bracket-predictor/en/



Let's have a great tournament! 

[Governor NVGonzalez]

We are officially one week away from the biggest Football/Soccer/Calcio/Futbol/Fußball tournament of the year and we've exhausted the "Euro 2012 Qualifiers" thread so I think it's appropriate that we open the official discussion thread.

Please use this thread as a reference (see below for official links and the groups) and a place to discuss any news related to the tournament.

UEFA Euro 2012 - Poland-Ukraine

June 8 - July 1

Group A

Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

Group B

The Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

Group C

Spain
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Croatia

Group D

Ukraine
Sweden
France
England


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/index.html


Also, for fun, feel free to check out ESPN's Bracket Predictor! It would be cool to have a little Forum competition going. - http://games.espn.go.com/euro-bracket-predictor/en/



Let's have a great tournament! 

I'll bring in my prediction

Group A
1. Russia
2. Poland
3. Greece
4. Czech Republic

Group B
1. Portugal
2. Germany
3. Netherlands
4. Denmark

Group C (this one took me time to think about
1. Italy
2. Spain
3. Ireland
4. Croatia

Group D
1. France
2. England
3. Ukraine
4. Sweden

QUARTERS
Germany def. Russia
England def. Italy (sorry Phil)
Portugal def. Russia
France def. Spain

SEMIS
Germany def. England
France def. Portugal

FINAL
Germany def. France

[Keystone Phil]

I might do a game-by-game prediction (because I'm sick like that) but, for now, here's a basic group breakdown (by points) and the knockout rounds.

Group A

Russia - 7
Czech Republic - 6
Greece - 2
Poland - 1

Group B

Germany - 7
The Netherlands - 7
Portugal - 3
Denmark - 0

Group C

Spain - 7
Italy - 7
Croatia - 1
Republic of Ireland - 1

Group D

France - 9
England - 4
Sweden - 3
Ukraine - 1



Quarter finals

Russia vs. The Netherlands
Germany vs. Czech Republic
Spain vs. England
France vs. Italy


Semi finals

The Netherlands vs. Spain
Germany vs. Italy



Final

Spain vs. Italy

[I left.]

Looking forward to it!

[Keystone Phil]

Not the first bit of news I wanted to share but Prandelli claims he'd have no problem with Italy withdrawing from Euro 2012 over the betting scandal - http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/europe/story/euro-2012-prandelli-would-accept-italy-withdrawal-060112?m_n=true

What the hell is with this guy? He really irritates me at times.

[King]

Spain gonna win it all.  That's all I gotta say.

[Lief]

Uh, this doesn't sound good...

Between January and September 2010 Gianluigi Buffon wrote out 14 cheques for sums betweena 50,000 and 200,000 Euro totalling 1,585,000 Euro. They were all written out to Massimo Alfieri (the owner of a tobacconist's in Parma who is authorised to place bets through the on-line system Lottomatica).

http://english.gazzetta.it/Football/31-05-2012/here-are-buffon-s-bets-cheques-for-15-million-euro-911399567851.shtml

[Keystone Phil]

Napoli's De Sanctis might get to see some action after all...

Then again, this really could be the perfect set up for a 2006 repeat.

[Swedish Cheese]

God damn it, it's time for Germany to go all the way this time. No more 3rd and 2nd placements.

 

[Gustaf]

Hm, might make a more thought through prediction later, but right now:

Russia
Poland

Germany
Netherlands

Spain
Italy

France
England

----------------------

Russia v Netherlands

Germany v Poland

Spain v England

France v Italy

-------------------------------

Germany v France

Spain v Netherlands

-----------------------------------

Germany v Spain

-------------------------------

I think Germany will take it this time. I feel they've been getting stronger, while Spain and Holland have been getting weaker. Those 3 are imo the best teams in Europe by some distance right now. I have a feeling France might exceed expectations while England will disappoint, again.

I think Sweden will tie England lose against France and fail to beat the Ukraine. Poland might get 2nd in their group on sheer enthusiasm.

[Keystone Phil]

Buffon apparently injured during today's Friendly. What a total disaster this is shaping up to be...

[Governor NVGonzalez]

Spain gonna win it all.  That's all I gotta say.

I would agree if it weren't for injury problems. Villa and Puyol are out and after Villa unless Torres becomes his old self again (which is possible but we shall see if it keeps going) Spain doesn't really have the best forwards to supply their great midfield

[Gustaf]

BUMP

We need more predictions to laugh at later!

[Vasall des Midas]

Okay.

Russia 9
Poland 4
Czech 2
Greece 1

Germany 7
Netherlands 5
Portugal 2
Denmark 1

Spain 7
Italy 5
Croatia 3
Ireland 1

France 5
England 4
Sweden 4
Ukraine 3

Russia < Netherlands
Germany > Poland
Spain > England
France < Italy

Netherlands < Spain
Germany < Italy

Spain ? Italy

[Keystone Phil]

I like the way Lewis thinks (on one issue).

[Tender Branson]

Prediction:

Group A

Russia
Poland
Czech Republic
Greece

Group B

Netherlands
Germany
Denmark
Portugal

Group C

Spain
Croatia
Italy
Ireland

Group D

France
Sweden
England
Ukraine

Quarter-Finals

Russia vs. Germany
Spain vs. Sweden
Netherlands vs. Poland
France vs. Croatia

Semi-Finals

Germany vs. Spain
Netherlands vs. France

Final

Netherlands vs. Spain

[Keystone Phil]

Croatia's Ivica Olic ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

[Keystone Phil]

Now Balotelli might be injured.

[Hans-im-Glück]

Poland
Russia
Czech
Greece

Germany
Netherlands
Portugal
Denmark

Spain
Croatia
Italy
Ireland

France
Ukraine
England
Sweden

Poland vs. Netherlands
Germany vs. Russia
Spain vs. Ukraine
France vs. Croatia

Poland vs. Spain
Germany vs. Croatia

Poland vs. Germany

[Keystone Phil]

Poland beating the Dutch and the Spanish? Really?

[Hans-im-Glück]

Poland beating the Dutch and the Spanish? Really?

Okay, this is an very optimistic prediction for Poland, but they play at home and everything is possible.

[I left.]

Poland beating the Dutch and the Spanish? Really?

Okay, this is an very optimistic prediction for Poland, but they play at home and everything is possible.

And you never know what can happen. Greece, after all, won this tournament the time before last.

[Keystone Phil]

Barzagli out for at least the group stage. Oh boy, when it rains, it pours...

[Insula Dei]

Prediction:

Group A

Russia
Poland
Czech Republic
Greece

Group B

Netherlands
Germany
Portugal
Denmark

Group C

Spain
Italy
Croatia
Ireland

Group D

France
England
Sweden
Ukraine

Quarter-Finals

Russia vs. Germany
Spain vs. England
Netherlands vs. Poland
France vs. Italy

Semi-Finals

Russia vs. Spain
Netherlands vs. France

Final

Netherlands vs. Russia

Boring prediction, I know, and I don't really follow all of it, but:

a)I do feel some sort of strange loyalty towards the Dutch if they stand a chance at winning this.
b)I believe in Russia

and c)I'm too conservative not to have England or Italy into the 2nd round.

[Јas]

I've decided to be very objective.

As we all know - you're only as good as your last game. So, I've taken the last result between each of the teams to be indicative of their upcoming fixtures. Which would result in...

Group A
1. Greece
2. Czechia
3. Russia
4. Poland

A lot of draws here. Greece beat the Czechs, the Czechs beat the Poles - the Russians draw everything.

Group B
1. Germany
2. Denmark
3. Portugal
4. Netherlands

Germany beat the Dutch and Portuguese, but only draw with the Danes, which is just enough to see them through as they and the other two each beat each other in the remaining games.

Group C
1. Ireland
2. Spain
3. Croatia
4. Italy

Ireland undefeated, 1 win (Italy) and 2 draws. Spain go through despite being tied on points with Croatia, by having beaten Croatia itself.

Group D
1. France
2. Sweden
3. England
4. Ukraine

France are the only team to win all 3 group games. The other teams all beat one another 1-0 and are only eventually seperated by the goals scored against the French - which advantages Sweden.


QFs
Denmark 1-0 Greece (had to go back two games here, as the previous game was a draw)
Ireland 3-0 Sweden
Czechia 3-0 Germany
Spain 2-0 France

SFs
Ireland 4-0 Denmark
Spain 2-0 Czechia

Final
Spain 1-1 Ireland, Spain win on penalties