Germany vs Greece Preview Prediction

The Germans look unstoppable at this point in the tournament. Winning all ten games in the qualifying stage and all three games during the group eliminations finishing three points ahead of Group B runners-up, Portugal, the Germans will take on Group A runners-up, Greece on the 22nd of June.

The Germans have fairly young players but have a World Cup run in their portfolios. But a weak defense line is a problem that they need to resolve soon. In the past, they have let far too many goals in, although their attack is strong, this weakness can compromise their chances at winning later down the line.

The Greek team had a poor opening at the onset of the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Poland during the opener and a 2-1 lost to the Czech Republic in the second game. Greece was fated to exit the tournament after their lost against the Czech Republic and we can also include the draw with Poland. Then came the make or break match against Russia. Russia was the Group A favorites at the time but were knocked out of the tournament by the Greeks with a 1-0 victory that shocked Russians and the Greeks alike.

Germany vs Greece Head to Head

Germany	vs	Greece
8	Matches Played	8
5	Wins	0
3	Draws	3
0	Losses	5
17	Goals	7

FIFA World Cup Qualifies

Germany	vs	Greece
4	Matches Played	4
4	Wins	0
0	Draws	0
0	Losses	4
11	Goals	3

Euro Cup

Germany	vs	Greece
1	Matches Played	1
0	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	0
0	Goals	0

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Germany	vs	Greece
2	Matches Played	2
0	Wins	0
2	Draws	2
0	Losses	0
3	Goals	3

Friendly

Germany	vs	Greece
1	Matches Played	1
1	Wins	0
0	Draws	0
0	Losses	1
3	Goals	1

FIFA Ranking
Germany: 3
Greece: 15

Prediction
Germany 60% vs 40% Greece

Czech Republic vs Portugal Preview Prediction

The first quarter-final of Euro 2012 between the Czech Republic and Portugal marks their reunion in previous European Championships back in Euro 1996 and 2008.

The Czechs famously won 16 years ago thanks to a Karel Poborsky goal and will aim to repeat their '96 heroics despite a 3-1 loss during the group stage of Euro 2008.

The Narodak recovered from a humiliating 4-1 opening loss against Russia to eventually top the Group after victories against Poland and Greece. Similar to Euro 1996, the Czechs qualified with a negative goal difference.

Portugal too, began their Euro 2012 campaign with a loss to Germany. But Paulo Bento's men managed a narrow 3-2 win against Denmark while Netherlands were eliminated courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo's double strike.

The Czechs are playing their third quarter-finals and are yet to lose after victories in 1996 over Portugal and in 2004, when they beat Denmark. Meanwhile, Portugal have made it to the quaterfinals five times including two wins and two losses. The last time they won was in 2000 (vs Turkey) and 2004 (vs England).

Two teams packed with talent and rich Euro history will battle it out to make it to the last four. The Czechs, criticised for their loss to Russia, will be confident when they clash against the likes of Ronaldo, Nani and Raul Mereiles.

However, the Czech back-line will be tested when Ronaldo tries to fly down the left wing, while Nani can pose similar threats on the other channel. Czech right-back Theodor Gebre Selassie will be given the task to hault Ronaldo's run while Fabio Coentrao will look to open gaps with his forward movement.

Michal Bilec's men will miss their inspiring captain and play-maker Tomas Rosicky who suffered an achilles injury during the 2-1 victory over Greece. The Czechs, however, will stick to their tactics of playing five midfielders but the lone striker Milan Baros is yet to fire.

Meanwhile, all four goals during the Group stage have been scored by two midfielders Vaclav Pilar and Petr Jiracek. Both scored two early goals to down Greece while Jiracek scored the winner against Poland.

In-form Portuguese star Ronaldo fired two goals to eliminate World Cup runners-up Netherlands from 'The Group of Death'. After losing to Germany in their opening encounter, Bento's men fought back to win 3-2 against the Danes.

Real Madrid defender Pepe opened the scoring while striker Helder Postiga gave Portugal a two-goal advantage. Super-sub Varela's late strike sealed an important victory for Portugal after Nicklas Bentdner's double.

Except for Rosicky, who is doubtful due to injury, both teams are expected to retain the same line-up as Portugal will look to go all-attack with 4-3-3 formation while the Czechs will settle to their 4-5-1 combination. (oneindia.in)

Czech Republic vs Portugal Head to Head

Czech Republic	vs	Portugal
11	Matches Played	11
4	Wins	4
3	Draws	3
4	Losses	4
12	Goals	9

FIFA World Cup Qualifies

Czech Republic	vs	Portugal
6	Matches Played	6
2	Wins	2
2	Draws	2
2	Losses	2
4	Goals	4

Euro Cup

Czech Republic	vs	Portugal
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	1
2	Goals	3

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Czech Republic	vs	Portugal
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	1
6	Goals	1

Friendly

Czech Republic	vs	Portugal
1	Matches Played	1
0	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	0
0	Goals	1

FIFA Ranking
Czech Republic: 4
Portugal: 27

Prediction
Czech Republic 50% vs 50% Portugal

Italy vs Republic Ireland preview and predictions

Cesare Prandelli’s men have led both of the first two matches of the Championship so far only to concede in the second half and end up in a draw. There has been a big concern regarding Mario Balotelli in the past few days. The controversial striker sustained an injury in training on Saturday so Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale will most likely partner Milan’s Antonio Cassano in the must-win Encounter against Ireland. Andrea Barzagli is all set to make a comeback from injury for the Azzurri after sitting out in their first two games, and is confident about the potential his side has to progress to the next round. "We have the potential to score three goals as we have great forwards. They can play well and get a feel for the goal.” Barzagli told Uefa.com. Italy must win and hope for either a win, or a draw which does not end in 2 or more goals apiece in the other fixture between Spain and Croatia.

Andrea Pirlo was arguably the best and worst signing of the season in Europe: the former for Juventus and the latter for their arch rivals Milan. It is the Italian midfield Maestro who won the Serie A for the Bianconneri. His heroic display against Spain and a wonderful goal against Croatia leave him on top spot for the man to watch against the Irish.

Ireland, on the other hand, have already been eliminated from the tournament. The green shirts have only pride to play for after losing both of their first two fixtures in the Euro 2012. Even though Robbie Keane is the most likely goal scorer for Ireland, all eyes will be on Fulham Winger Damien Duff who is set to make his 100th appearance for his National team. “I suppose when you get there and get close to it you want to get there, but I have never really been thinking about it to be honest. Nearing it would be a nice goal and a nice feat but points on the board are more important than caps,” he told the press before the tournament begun.

Italy vs Rep Ireland Head to Head

Italy	vs	Rep Ireland
11	Matches Played	11
7	Wins	2
2	Draws	2
2	Losses	7
18	Goals	9

FIFA World Cup

Italy	vs	Rep Ireland
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	1
1	Goals	1

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Italy	vs	Rep Ireland
2	Matches Played	2
0	Wins	0
2	Draws	2
0	Losses	0
3	Goals	3

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Italy	vs	Rep Ireland
2	Matches Played	2
2	Wins	0
0	Draws	0
0	Losses	2
5	Goals	1

Friendly

Italy	vs	Rep Ireland
5	Matches Played	5
4	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	4
9	Goals	4

FIFA Ranking
Italy: 12
Rep Ireland: 18

Prediction
Italy 60% vs 40% Rep Ireland

Croatia and Spain have both defeated Euro 2012's worst team in Ireland and drawn Italy, a team that was expected to play a conservative style would undoubtedly lead to a draw or two. They both have four points, and we've learned very little about both of them. On Monday, Croatia finally has to deal with an elite attacking side and Spain has to play against a back four that isn't poor, a midfielder that can launch counter attacks and a team that's dangerous on set pieces.

Italy haven't performed poorly in this tournament and certainly have some talent among their ranks, but Spain and Croatia will still provide each other with the toughest test that either team has seen so far. The Spaniards are heavy favorites and it would be stunning if they failed to at least draw, but this game is by no means a gimme for them.

Luka Modric will be Spain's biggest concern, and Vicente del Bosque will almost certainly be aware of exactly what happens when he's not specifically accounted for. Italy, inexplicably, didn't specifically assign a midfielder to pick him up, nor did they make it a priority as a group. Croatia controlled the second half of that game because of Modric, so don't be surprised if Sergio Busquets is narrowly focused on him, as opposed to simply sitting in a zone on the pitch.

On the other end, Croatia's central defenders will need to up their games. Their fullbacks have performed well thus far, but the center of their defense has been let off the hook by poor finishing by both Ireland and Italy. They might not be too concerned by a Spanish team that floods the midfield with a 4-6-0, but Fernando Torres was so good against Ireland that del Bosque is likely to stick with him and abandon the no-striker formation.

Torres has run extremely hot and cold for club and country over the last four months, which is a significant improvement over the previous 14 months, when he was consistently poor. He is among the best center forwards in the world at his best, and even though no one's seen his best for back-to-back games since just before his 2010 knee injury, he appears to have something left in the tank.

Spain will likely be the aggressive versions of themselves in the early going, while Croatia are likely to put nine men behind the ball, then look to find their center forwards quickly when they win the ball back, but it might not stay like that for the entirety of the game. Consider that a draw against Spain is a fantastic result for Croatia and that Spain hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over Italy. Spain have not been averse to passing the ball in circles, doing little to attack the goal when it suits them. If Italy don't lay a royal beatdown on Ireland, a draw could send both Croatia and Spain through to the knockout stage.

Croatia could also push Luka Modric up the pitch in an attempt to pack their midfield, withdrawing one of Mario Mandzukic or Nikica Jelavic, more likely the latter. Against a Spain team that's so dominant in the middle, it makes sense, but so many of Croatia's best attacks have come from the two strikers' exchanges with each other.

No one's going to start the match playing for a handshake draw, but everyone has mobile phones with internet access in this day and age, and both managers will know exactly what's going on in the other game. At some point, there might not be any incentive for either team to commit numbers forward and incur any kind of defensive risk, and that's when apparent "handshake" draws happen. (sbnation.com)

Projected Spain Lineup (4-3-3): Iker Casillas; Jordi Alba, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Alvaro Arbeloa; Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez; Andres Iniesta, Fernando Torres, David Silva

Projected Croatia Lineup (4-4-1-1): Stipe Pletikosa; Ivan Strinic, Gordon Schildenfeld, Vedran Corluka, Darijo Srna; Ivan Rakitic, Tomislav Dujmovic, Ognjen Vukojevic, Ivan Perisic; Luka Modric; Mario Mandzukic.

Croatia vs Spain Head to Head

Croatia	vs	Spain
4	Matches Played	4
1	Wins	2
1	Draws	1
2	Losses	1
4	Goals	5

FIFA Ranking
Croatia: 8
Spain: 1

Prediction
Croatia 45% vs 55% Spain

Netherlands vs Germany Preview Prediction

The "early final" of Euro 2012 match-up comes from Kharkiv in the Ukraine and surprisingly sees the much fancied Dutch fighting for their tournament lives against Germany. It is a classic football match of Europe.

Despite dominating proceedings against the Danes last Saturday, Holland were handed the ultimate sucker punch in the form of Krohn-Dehli's neatly taken first half strike in what remains the tournament's biggest shock.

The press have been typically unrelenting in their criticism of the Dutch's star line-up, labelling their talented attacking ensemble as disjointed and selfish - a stigma that needs removing instantly or their stay in Eastern Europe will be cut seriously short.

Pulling together as a unit is one thing, penetrating the well organised and classy Germans is a whole new problem though.

They may not have lit it up against Portugal but Germnay showed enough character to suggest the pre-tournament predictions of a deep run will be spot on.

Mario Gomez repaid his manager's faith by grabbing the game winning goal but, perhaps more importantly, the defensive pairing of Badstuber and Hummels were able to repel the Ronaldo led attack ably enough - dispelling the one big question mark hanging over the 5/2 favorites.

The task of breaching the invigorated defence will likely fall on the shoulders of Schalke's goal machine Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, after Robin van Persie's unusually impotent display against Denmark perhaps the spark for a move out to the wing.

Huntelaar has made big moves in recent internationals, proving that he can rise to the challenge associated with football's highest stage and while he may lack the movement and skill of Van Persie he makes up for it with a great goals per game ratio.

Given Holland's need for a win the former AC Milan man should be handed a few chances to notch meaning there's far worse bets out there than the 8/1 for first goalscorer and the 11/4 about him scoring at any point in the match.

Attacking flair is just one side of it though and unfortunately for the charismatic Dutch they just look too susceptible in defence to justify backing them at 19/10 to win the match.

Mesut Ozil shone against Portugal and he could get even more joy in Kharkiv with the extra space provided by Holland's raids forward while Gomez's movement inside the box could be too much to handle for Heitinga and Vlaar.

Gomez is massive value at 7/4 to score anytime, providing he's preferred to Miroslav Klose, and I'd even go as far as saying 8/1 is huge for him to score two or more.

The all important market though, 90 minutes betting, looks a simple one with Germany very easy to side with at 6/4 - they're strong, skilful and most importantly a team - and until the Dutch show some team spirit I'm not willing to risk any money on them.

Netherlands vs Germany Head to Head

Netherlands	vs	Germany
38	Matches Played	38
10	Wins	14
14	Draws	14
14	Losses	10
63	Goals	75

FIFA World Cup

Netherlands	vs	Germany
3	Matches Played	3
0	Wins	2
1	Draws	1
2	Losses	0
4	Goals	6

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Netherlands	vs	Germany
2	Matches Played	2
0	Wins	0
2	Draws	2
0	Losses	0
1	Goals	1

Euro Cup

Netherlands	vs	Germany
4	Matches Played	4
2	Wins	1
1	Draws	1
1	Losses	2
8	Goals	6

Friendly

Netherlands	vs	Germany
29	Matches Played	29
8	Wins	11
10	Draws	10
11	Losses	8
50	Goals	62

FIFA Ranking
Netherlands: 4
Germany: 3

Prediction
Netherlands 50% vs 50% Germany

Denmark vs Portugal Preview Prediction
The Danes played as a real team should play during their last match up against the Netherlands that resulted in an astonishing victory. Now, as they head into a match against Portugal this time, they are even more determined to not let the opportunity of qualification go down the drain. The team’s line-up of Anderson, Krohn-Dehil, and Zimling just to name a few surprised everyone during performance against the Dutch who had a formidable team and will start with the same formation against Portugal on the 13th with the impressive Andersen who kept a clean sheet against the Dutch attack.

Denmark would be playing with the same style against Portugal as they did in the previous game with the Netherlands but the Portuguese have two key players, Ronaldo and Nani with their individual brilliance. What worked in the previous match might not work this time against the mighty Portuguese line-up.

It’s a must win for the “Navigators” especially after losing to world no. 3, Germany. But they still have a fighting chance considering their line up consisting of heavies, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Rui Patricio, Joao Pereira, and Pepe. Plus these boys play in an attack formation of 4-3-3 which might be effective against the Danes.

Portugal already loss their opener to Germany so they need this win in order to move on to the next qualification. The Portuguese team lost to the Danes three years and for some reason they always seem to underrate Denmark which is very contradicting. Plus, Denmark’s victory over the Dutch, a team considered to be a favourite when in comparison just goes to show that the opponent is a strong one.

Denmark vs Portugal Head to Head

Denmark	vs	Portugal
12	Matches Played	12
3	Wins	7
2	Draws	2
7	Losses	3
16	Goals	26

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Denmark	vs	Portugal
4	Matches Played	4
1	Wins	2
1	Draws	1
2	Losses	1
6	Goals	8

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Denmark	vs	Portugal
4	Matches Played	4
1	Wins	3
0	Draws	0
3	Losses	1
3	Goals	10

Euro Cup

Denmark	vs	Portugal
1	Matches Played	1
0	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	0
1	Goals	1

Friendly

Denmark	vs	Portugal
3	Matches Played	3
1	Wins	2
0	Draws	0
2	Losses	1
6	Goals	7

FIFA Ranking
Denmark: 9
Portugal: 10

Prediction
Denmark 45% vs 55% Portugal

Poland vs Russia Preview Prediction
Poland will play host again and have their second meeting against Russia in Group A at National Stadium June 12,2012. Poland will be heavily supported by their wild fans who fill stadiums ambition to be able to win this second match.

Super stud striker Robert Ledwandoski will once again be heavily depended on to provide his scoring punch. It will be up to him to be able to win this match as the capital to fight Rep.Ceko in the last game. With the victory this victory in his own back yard can be a memorable one if Poland can pull this off.

As for Russia itself, although on paper they will not be carried away underdog. With the defeat Poland will break down the motivation of the players. Russia is completely stacked with star players such as striker and no doubt Russia’s most valuable player Roman Pavlyuchenko, Andrey Arshavin and Alan Dzagoev and some young players.

But don’t jump on Russia’s band wagon so soon, They are at a disadvantage due to the home crowd of Poland and with support from thousands of supporters who would have packed the stadium. Russia coach Dick Advocaat believes that they can definitely beat Poland. Russians think they are the toughest opponents in Group A. Czech Republic met with the Polish on a test event in 2007, with the interminable 2-2.

Poland vs Russia Head to Head

Poland	vs	Russia
14	Matches Played	14
3	Wins	7
4	Draws	4
7	Losses	3
13	Goals	28

FIFA World Cup

Poland	vs	Russia
1	Matches Played	1
0	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	0
0	Goals	0

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Poland	vs	Russia
3	Matches Played	3
1	Wins	2
0	Draws	0
2	Losses	1
2	Goals	6

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Poland	vs	Russia
2	Matches Played	2
0	Wins	1
1	Draws	1
1	Losses	0
1	Goals	3

Friendly

Poland	vs	Russia
8	Matches Played	8
2	Wins	4
2	Draws	2
4	Losses	2
10	Goals	19

FIFA Ranking
Poland: 62
Russia: 13

Prediction
Poland 45% vs 55% Russia

Greece vs Czech Republic Preview Prediction
History tells us in this match up, this match is unlikely to arouse us with high scoring. In the last 3 encounters between Greece and the Czech Republic, there has only been one goal that has been scored. It was back in the 2004 finals when Greek defender Traianos Dellas scored in extra time, to deliver a silver goal that ended the match, to give to give Greece a 1-0 victory in Porto and a place in the final.

Even though Greece has never gave up a goal against the Czechs, the Czech’s own them. Their record against their predecessors Czechoslovakia, defeated them in all five head to head match ups.

Greece's 1-1 draw against Poland in the opening match of the tournament was their first point in the Euro finals since their surprise win in 2004. In 2008, they lost all three group games.

In 2004 Greece played out of their minds to pull off an amazing upset beat then hosts Portugal in the opening match of the tournament and repeated the feat in a final no one had expected. The odds on them playing Poland again in the Euro 2012 final look extremely slim.

The Czech Republic's 4-1 beat down by Russia in their opening game was their worst defeat in their history . Czech’s suffered only a three-goal margin defeat twice before - 3-0 to Switzerland in 1994, the second game they ever played after the break-up of Czechoslovakia, and 3-0 to Norway in a friendly last year.

The Czechs have now lost their last three games at European Championship finals. In 2008, they won their opening group game against hosts Switzerland but then lost 3-1 to Portugal and 3-2 to Turkey to exit before the knockout stage.

Greece vs Czech Republic Head to Head

Greece	vs	Czech Rep
8	Matches Played	8
1	Wins	5
2	Draws	2
5	Losses	1
3	Goals	11

Euro Cup

Greece	vs	Czech Rep
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	1
2	Goals	3

Friendly

Greece	vs	Czech Rep
6	Matches Played	6
0	Wins	4
2	Draws	2
4	Losses	0
1	Goals	8

FIFA Ranking
Greece: 15
Czech Republic: 27

Prediction
Greece 50% vs 50% Czech Republic

Ukraine vs Sweden Preview Prediction
The joint host nation of Euro 2012 doesn’t look to be one of the stronger teams at the event. The lack of competitive football may hurt them at the end of the day, even though they will be cheered on by a partisan home support of course. The Ukraine have not had the greatest of build ups to the tournament in their own back yard either, losing against Austria and then Turkey, so that isn’t the kind of results that you want coming into a major tournament. Still, the general perception of the Ukraine is that they are a hard working side and organised enough in the middle to make for stubborn opposition. They have the veteran Andriy Shevchenko in their ranks as he enters his last major tournament, but they look as if they make struggle for goals and creativity against tough defences. They will have to rely perhaps more on a bit of passion and pride to get them through, because they are not strong enough to hold out for ninety minutes against top quality attacks. However, they are in Group D, which is an evenly balanced group and therefore they may have a chance at squeezing out a surprise or two. Whether their Euro 2012 is a major success or major failure could depend on this opening game. Maximum points here would be a major fillip as they then have to go on and face England and France. If they face those two with points in the bag already, then they will make even harder opponents for the two group favourites.

For some unknown reason, Sweden have pretty much been written off by the bookmakers. Reading Euro 2012 odds, and Sweden don’t look as if they are going to have any kind of look in. They are not even favourites to beat the Ukraine, which may be a bit strange. Sweden were the best runners up out of all qualification groups for Euro 2012 and booked an automatic place at the finals. They won a big, crucial game against the Netherlands for that to happen, and the Swedes have won all four of their international friendlies played this year. They beat Croatia away and secured recent wins over Iceland and Serbia. So they should be in a pretty confident mood, and their attack will be spearheaded by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who should get amongst the goals. Sweden are very strong in the middle of the park, and they averaged over three goals per game during Euro 2012 qualification and all of these things make up a sound reasoning for Sweden not to be totally dismissed from your betting plans in Group D. They are very competitive and strong and because they have been labelled with the underdog tag, well that just may make then even more of a threat to France and England in the group. There could be Swedish surprises waiting in the wings.

Ukraine vs Sweden Head to Head

Ukraine	vs	Sweden
3	Matches Played	3
1	Wins	1
1	Draws	1
1	Losses	1
2	Goals	2

FIFA Ranking
Ukraine: 52
Sweden: 17

Prediction
Ukraine 55% vs 45% Sweden

France vs England Preview Prediction
The main factor with the French squad is that no one actually knows who will be in the starting 11 come Monday. They have strength in all quarters of the pitch which could be quite worrying for the English. The man in goal I think has to be there number 1 Hugo Lloris, although the Marseille Keeper Mandanda could push his way into the squad with good performances as of late. The defence is a strong one with the likes of Patrice Evra, Philippe Mexes and Laurent Kocsielny. The new addition is youngster Adil Ramy who plays for Valencia although being linked with one of the “big 4”in English football. The French midfield seems to be back to its deadly self with big names like Frank Ribery, Samir Nasri and the regular Florent Malouda. The surprise name was Newcastle’s number 10 Hatem Ben Arfa; he’s had a cracking season at Newcastle with 5 goals in 26 appearances which doesn’t sound too good but he was the heart of Newcastle’s midfield terrorising the defences with through balls to their tenacious strikers. I think it is a very wise choice from Mr Blanc. There was only going to be 1 man to lead the French attack and that was Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, with his free flowing runs and his wonder of a shot there was no doubt in my mind that he would be there number 10 this tournament. My message to Roy, watch out for this young, revitalized French force. England has got a tough game on their hands.

The English squad, which is gazumped with injuries to their key players, is still quite menacing. With names like Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry and Gary Cahill all out due to injury, the squad seems weakened but not defeated. England’s number 1 is undoubtedly Man City’s Joe Hart; he is the clear choice after helping his team to their first ever Premier League title. I don’t think no other English keeper comes close to ability. At the back England are weakened without Gary Cahill who looked almost certain to start along his Chelsea team mate John Terry. Instead it looks like Joleon Lescott or Phil Jagielka that will line up with the Chelsea Captain. The wing backs are the obvious choices Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole which is a sensible decision by Roy Hodgson. England’s normally fearful midfield has been completely rebuilt around the loss of Lampard; it includes Gerrard, Parker and Ashley Young who seems to be a key player for England. The two controversial decisions of Roy’s squad was to include out of form Stewart Downing, who this season had the woeful record of 42 PL appearances, 0 goals, 0 assists, so this decision was questioned by many, can he turn it around? I simply don’t know.

The other was to include Arsenal’s wonderkid Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 18 year old has been in and out of the first team all season but got the call from Roy, I think this choice is a great one, youth is the future. England’s strike force is going to be crippled against France due to the suspension of Wayne Rooney, with the likes of Danny Welbeck and Andy Carroll looking to step up to the mark, the question is, can they do it? Danny Welbeck seems the obvious choice due to his form this season and his glorious chip against the Belgians. Andy Carroll’s recent form has been good but his overall form he has been simply awful, he just can’t seem to score which is not going to help his bid do get in the squad. The French seem to have the upper hand due to the quality of the squads but the great thing about football is that it’s completely unpredictable.

The last time the English beat the French, Alan shearer was the Goal scorer and Glen Hoddle was the England manager. The team consisted of players such as David Batty, Ian Wright, Paul Gascoigne and Teddy Sheringham. I think it’s time we grabbed this fixture by the neck and do what the English do best and surprise the world. Most bookies have England to lose this game, which I can totally understand because France are a force not to be reckoned with. I am looking forward to this game more than any other because of the anticipation it provides. It seems it will be a tough fixture and both teams will have to go out there with a “winner takes all” attitude. My prediction, is nonexistent because I simply cannot tell the outcome, I wish look to both teams. But remember this, the English invented parliament, we abolished slavery, we defeated Hitler. We have had people like Shakespeare, Dick Whittington, and Sir Bobby Charlton. And what’s better is, we invented football, we gave it to the world, I think its Roy’s turn to go out there and bring it back.

France vs England Head to Head

France	vs	England
28	Matches Played	28
8	Wins	16
4	Draws	4
16	Losses	8
35	Goals	66

FIFA World Cup

France	vs	England
2	Matches Played	2
0	Wins	2
0	Draws	0
2	Losses	0
1	Goals	5

Euro Cup Qualifiers

France	vs	England
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	1
6	Goals	3

Euro Cup

France	vs	England
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	1
2	Goals	1

Friendly

France	vs	England
22	Matches Played	22
6	Wins	14
2	Draws	2
14	Losses	6
26	Goals	57

FIFA Ranking
France: 14
England: 6

Prediction
France 50% vs 50% England

Rep Ireland vs Croatia Preview Prediction
Ireland’s most important piece does not play on the field; it is the mind of manager Giovanni Trapattoni. The Irish are back in a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup, because Trapattoni loves a structured, risk-free system setup that might be boring and defensive, but gets results. Ireland is on a 14 games unbeaten run, including a 0-0 draw with Croatia last August.

With more talented players from Italy then Spain to follow, Croatia manager Slaven Bilic will see this as his team’s best chance to pour on the offence. The question is, how many attackers is he willing to push forward, without leaving his defence susceptible to a counterattack. In Croatia’s last warmup match before Euro 2012, Norway tied the game 1-1 in the 92nd minute.

At Euro 2012, Ireland’s success will be tied to the dependability of defenders Richard Dunne, John O’Shea, Stephen Ward and Sean St. Ledger. But the Irish have skill with midfielders Aiden McGeady and Damien Duff, and forward Robbie Keane, who has 53 goals in 117 international games. And beyond incisive midfield Luka Modric, Croatia has midfielders Ivan Perisic, Ivan Rakitic, and captain Darijo Srna who can together control the direction of a game.

Rep Ireland vs Croatia Head to Head

Rep Ireland	vs	Croatia
6	Matches Played	6
2	Wins	1
3	Draws	3
1	Losses	2
7	Goals	5

Euro Cup Quilifiers

Rep Ireland	vs	Croatia
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	1
2	Goals	1

Friendly

Rep Ireland	vs	Croatia
4	Matches Played	4
1	Wins	0
3	Draws	3
0	Losses	1
5	Goals	4

FIFA Ranking
Rep Ireland: 18
Croatia: 8

Prediction
Rep Ireland 50% vs 50% Croatia

Spain vs Italy Preview Prediction
When these two countries met in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008, Spain survived 120 minutes of strenuous defence, won on penalties, and went on to win its first international title in 44 years. After beating Spain 2-1 last August with an intimidating attack, will Italian manager Cesare Prandelli opt for offence? Or, after observing how hard Spain worked to beat a resolute China last week in its final Euro 2012 warmup match, will Italy play its traditional tight, man-to-man defensive scheme and exhaust Spain’s offensive steersmen midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta?

Spain’s passing offence will monopolize possession, but who will be responsible at forward, since all-time leading goal scorer David Villa is out injured? Chelsea forward Fernando Torres was added to the team, and did score the winner in Spain’s 1-0 win over Germany in the Euro 2008 final, but scored just 11 goals this season. Forward Fernando Llorente had 29 goals for Athletic Bilbao and Alvaro Negredo had 14 for Sevilla, and are more reliable options.

Forward Mario Balotelli really is an amazing talent, when he is not upsetting teammates and coaches with his ridiculously absurd behavior. He can play as if the ball is attached to his feet by a string. And if he gets timely passes from a creative teammate, such as midfielder Antonio Cassano, Spain’s defence, which looks loose at times, could be exposed.

And for that reason, how will Spanish central defender Gerard Pique set up in the back line? Pique is versatile and can move up into attack, but with defensive leader Carles Puyol out of the tournament with a knee injury, Pique could be required to stay put, and simply distribute the ball to Xavi and midfielder Xabi Alonso so they can worry about the attack.

Spain vs Italy Head to Head

Spain	vs	Italy
25	Matches Played	25
7	Wins	8
10	Draws	10
8	Losses	7
25	Goals	29

FIFA World Cup

Spain	vs	Italy
3	Matches Played	3
0	Wins	2
1	Draws	1
2	Losses	0
2	Goals	4

Euro Cup

Spain	vs	Italy
3	Matches Played	3
0	Wins	1
2	Draws	2
1	Losses	0
0	Goals	1

Friendly

Spain	vs	Italy
19	Matches Played	19
7	Wins	5
7	Draws	7
5	Losses	7
23	Goals	24

FIFA Ranking
Spain: 1
Italy: 12

Prediction
Spain 50% vs 50% Italy

Germany vs Portugal Preview

The end of Germany's preparations for Euro 2012 did not go extremely well as the side suffered a loss to Switzerland. This was rectified with a 2-0 win over Israel.

The fact that Germany's squad is full of young talents is well known and fans will have to wait and see what the results are this time around. It has to be said that the nation's 2010 World Cup squad also had their fair share of young talent.

While Germany had up-and-down pre-tournament friendly games, Portugal was disappointing in both their warm-up games with a draw against Macedonia and a loss to Turkey.

While performance matters more than results in most friendlies, the team's inability to win right before the tournament surely raises eyebrows.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the team's captain, gave an interview to UEFA and Paulo Bento, the team's coach, also provided his view on the team. Both seem confident that things will be better when the tournament begins.

Germany vs Portugal Head to Head

Germany	vs	Portugal
16	Matches Played	16
8	Wins	3
5	Draws	5
3	Losses	8
24	Goals	16

FIFA World Cup

Germany	vs	Portugal
1	Matches Played	1
1	Wins	0
0	Draws	0
0	Losses	1
3	Goals	1

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Germany	vs	Portugal
4	Matches Played	4
1	Wins	1
2	Draws	2
1	Losses	1
3	Goals	3

Euro Cup

Germany	vs	Portugal
3	Matches Played	3
1	Wins	1
1	Draws	1
1	Losses	1
3	Goals	5

Friendly

Germany	vs	Portugal
8	Matches Played	8
5	Wins	1
2	Draws	2
1	Losses	5
15	Goals	7

FIFA Ranking
Germany: 2
Portugal: 7

Prediction
Germany 60% vs 40% Portugal

Netherlands vs Denmark Preview
Denmark's team should mostly be at full strength for its Group B opener, minus Thomas Sorensen, the country's first-choice goalkeeper. Sorensen injured his back against Brazil, in Denmark's first Euro 2012 warm-up game, and was replaced by Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel as a result.

Denmark have lost two of their three matches in 2012, but won their final preparatory match for Euro 2012 two goals to nil against a good Australia team.

The Netherlands are not quite as fortunate as Denmark, and will be missing Joris Mathijsen, one of their usual starting centre-backs. They'll also feel the absence of Erik Pieters, their usual starting left-back, who was ruled out of this year's competition through injury.

In their place, Ron Vlaar and Jetro Williams will likely be called on to fill the team's holes in defense. Both are solid players who look like they have bright futures ahead of them. Unfortunately, both are very low on experience internationally.

The Netherlands started preparations for Euro 2012 poorly, with a 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich and 2-1 to Bulgaria, but have since bounced back with 2-0 and 6-0 wins over Slovakia and Northern Ireland, respectively.

The Netherlands are an intimidating force for any team in the world to deal with, but their weakness remains their defense. None of the team's defenders can actually consider themselves world-class defenders, even Heitinga and Van der Wiel are better known for their offense than their defense.

If Christian Eriksen can exploit that, and Nicklas Bendtner can finish the numerous scoring opportunities he's sure to be presented with, Denmark could well spring an upset.

For the Netherlands, Denmark's defense is also their biggest weak spot. Daniel Agger is solid, but Kjaer has committed numerous defensive errors at Roma this past season and will come into the tournament low on confidence.

Poulsen and Jacobsen are decent, but they're far below the level of Ibrahim Afellay, Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt, Rafael van der Vaart or any of the other players the Netherlands have that can play out wide.

Both defenses will be tested, but I predict that the Netherlands superior offense will allow them to test Denmark's defense more regularly and convert more scoring chances. I think Denmark will score, but the Netherlands will have too much firepower in the end.

Netherlands vs Denmark Head to Head

Netherlands	vs	Denmark
28	Matches Played	28
12	Wins	6
10	Draws	10
6	Losses	12
57	Goals	36

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Netherlands	vs	Denmark
1	Matches Played	1
1	Wins	0
0	Draws	0
0	Losses	1
2	Goals	0

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Netherlands	vs	Denmark
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	1
4	Goals	3

Euro Cup

Netherlands	vs	Denmark
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	1
5	Goals	2

Friendly

Netherlands	vs	Denmark
23	Matches Played	23
9	Wins	5
9	Draws	9
5	Losses	9
46	Goals	31

FIFA Ranking
Netherlands: 4
Denmark: 9

Prediction
Netherlands 55% vs 45% Denmark

Russia vs Czech Republic Preview and Prediction

Russia
The 2008 European semi-finalists are sweating on the fitness of Aleksandr Anyukov and Marat Izmailov. The star duo sustained injuries while playing in a friendly match against Italy. Igor Akinfeev is still on the road to recovery and will undergo a late fitness test ahead of the game.

Advocaat is rumoured to play the promising attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev behind Aleksandr Kerzhakov.

Roman Shirokov is expected to retain his position in the midfield with Konstantin Zyryanov. Advocaat, meanwhile, is still unsure over the goalkeeper selection.

Expected starting line-up: Malafeev, Berezutsky, Ignashevich, Granat, Zhirkov, Zyryanov, Shirokov, Denisov, Semshov, Dzagoev, Kerzhakov.

Czech Republic
The Narodak are sweating on the fitness of Milan Baros, as the 30-year-old striker has reportedly ruptured a groin muscle. Should the former Liverpool star fails to pass the fitness test, Bílek is likely to call upon CSKA Moscow’s Tomas Necid back into first team.

Tomas Rosicky, the captain, will also undergo a late fitness ahead of the game after failing to resume training due to a muscle injury.

All matches history

Russia		Czech Rep
13	Matches Played	13
6	Wins	2
5	Draws	5
2	Losses	6
24	Goals	15

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Russia		Czech Rep
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	1
3	Goals	1

Euro Cup Qualifiers

Russia		Czech Rep
2	Matches Played	2
0	Wins	1
1	Draws	1
1	Losses	0
2	Goals	4

Euro Cup

Russia		Czech Rep
2	Matches Played	2
1	Wins	0
1	Draws	1
0	Losses	1
6	Goals	3

Friendly

Russia		Czech Rep
7	Matches Played	7
4	Wins	1
2	Draws	2
1	Losses	4
13	Goals	7

FIFA Ranking
Russia: 13
Czech Republic: 27

Prediction
Russia 55% vs 45% Czech Republic