UEFA EURO 2012

[Smudger]

Figured we should start a thread for next summers European Championship now that qualifying has come to an end and the playoffs are about to start this Friday.

Final draw will be December 2nd

Anyone know if the final ruling has come down from UEFA yet in regards to Wayne Rooney ? I know the initial suspension was three games but he obviously appealed it.

 

[Smudger]

So much for the Qualification play-off drama, only one match up really looks up in the air after the 1st legs.

Croatia got some redemption from the EURO '08 disaster against Turkey with a huge 3-0 win over those same Turks. Surely, they will advance with 3 away goals, but it is Turkey after all.

Ireland are definitely through with a 4-0 away win over Estonia. Estonia had 2 men sent off in that fiasco. Finally the Irish are back in a major tournament.

Czech Republic looking good to defeat Montenegro with a 2-0 lead going into the 2nd leg, although, Montenegro looked pretty good at times during the 1st leg.

Portugal & Bosnia-Herzegovina are tied at 0-0 going into a decisive 2nd leg in Portugal on Tuesday. Both teams squandered numerous chances in the 1st leg but the pitch was definitely a part of some of those. It's a shame because I've been rooting for Bosnia-Herzegovina to make a major tournament because they have a pretty good squad, but, they're notorious for blowing it in crucial games.

 

[Smudger]

Qualified nations thus far:

Ukraine (Co-Host)
Poland (Co-Host)
Denmark
England
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Netherlands
Russia
Spain
Sweden

4 remaining spots to be determined on Tuesday after the Qualification Play-off 2nd legs are over.

Final Draw for groups will be December 2nd.

 

[Smudger]

The last 4 spots were clinched today. Croatia is through drawing 0-0 at home after beating Turkey 3-0 in the 1st leg. Czech Republic defeated Montenegro 3-0 on aggregate. Ireland eased through Estonia 5-1 on aggregate, there 1st major tournament in 10 years. Portugal demolished Bosnia-Herzegovina 6-2 in a very entertaining affair.

Final draw will be December 2nd. Still no word on the Rooney appeal yet, although, I did read that the English FA have lodged an appeal to the suspension as well.

 

[OSU_D/]

Glad to see Ireland back in a major tournament. Perhaps this signifies things going forward.

I thought Euro 2008 was my favorite tournament I can remember from start to finish. I also had a home office back then.... I won't have the same luxury in 2012.

 

[Wells4Heisman]

Portugal. That is all.

 

[TooTall]

Boo US's coverage of the Euro's. :(

 

[Buckeye513]

A:
Poland
Russia
Greece
Czech Republic

B:
Holland
Denmark
Portugal
Germany

C:
Italy
Spain
Ireland
Croatia

D:
Ukraine
England
Sweden
France

I'll go with Russia, Germany, Spain and France to win their groups. Poland, Holland, Italy, and Sweden runners-up.

 

[IronBuckI]

One of the commenters on Sky Sports was hoping for a group that contained Portugal, Greece, Italy, and Ireland. They called it the "Group of Debt".

 

[TooTall]

A:
Poland
Russia
Greece
Czech Republic

B:
Holland
Denmark
Portugal
Germany

C:
Italy
Spain
Ireland
Croatia

D:
Ukraine
England
Sweden
France

I'll go with Russia, Germany, Spain and France to win their groups. Poland, Holland, Italy, and Sweden runners-up.

A.Czech Republic, B Portugal, C Spain, D France. Runners-up: A Russia, B Germany, C Italy, D England.

 

[Smudger]

Lets see where these teams are come early June. Still have over half of the club season left so injuries will change the dynamic of this tournament no doubt.


Any word yet on the Rooney 3 game suspension ? I know the English FA lodged an appeal a few weeks back.

 

[IronBuckI]

Big boost for England.

Sky Sports

Rooney Euro 2012 ban reduced

England striker sees suspension cut to two games


England striker Wayne Rooney's Euro 2012 suspension has been reduced to two games on appeal by UEFA.


The Manchester United

star attended a disciplinary hearing alongside Three Lions

boss Fabio Capello

in Nyon on Thursday morning.


European football's governing body agreed that the original punishment, handed out following Rooney's

red card in the final qualifier against Montenegro for kicking out at Miodrag Dzudovic, was too harsh.


The original three-match term has been reduced to two on appeal, with the final penalty suspended for a period of four years.


Rooney will now be available for England's final Group D fixture against Ukraine, but will still sit out the opener with France and the Sweden

clash.

 

[Smudger]

It will be interesting to see how much playing time Capello gives him in the friendlies building up to next summer. England will find a way to blow it with, or without him regardless.

 

[OSU_D/]

A:
Czech Republic
Russia

B:
Holland
Germany

C:
Spain
Ireland - upset special. I can dream!

D:
France
Sweden

 

[Smudger]

Barcelona striker David Villa breaks his leg

Villa had been linked with a move to the Premier League in January Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola expects striker David Villa to be in for a long spell on the sidelines after the Spain international suffered a broken leg.
The 30-year-old fractured his left tibia shortly before half-time in the Fifa Club World Cup semi-final against Qatari side Al Sadd in Yokohama, Japan.
"He will be out for a long time with this sort of break," said Guardiola.


Villa's injury may also put his participation at Euro 2012 in doubt, with Spain set to begin the defence of their crown against Italy on 10 June.
He is Spain's all-time leading scorer with 50 goals in 81 games and played a key role in their World Cup triumph in South Africa last summer.
"The news is very bad," added Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque. "It's a great misfortune, for him above all since he is the injured one, and looking ahead to Euro 2012, of course this is very bad news.
"There are six months to go. Let's see if he can get well. Recovering always has its set processes, but there are some players that get healthy sooner than others."

BIG blow for Spain even though he was hardly playing at all for Barca as of late. Going to be even more pressure on struggling Fernando Torres to regain his lost form now as well as Fernando Llorente who, has been waiting for a moment like this for years.