UEFA Euro 2012

[anlabe32]

Oh I didn't know that.. Thanks for the heads up Forrest! Pity, would have been amazing.

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

id love to see spain in the finals but i am not sure about Spain-Portugal... Spain deserved to win against France but they did play it a bit "relaxed" soo i wonder if they will bring out their best when against Portugal soon....

as for italy vs germany, i bet the germans will win. they seem pretty formidable this year.

 

[kiki09]

if it went down to penalties, the italians were going to win
the problem with Spain was best put by this tweet.
"A mi no me engañan, Torres es otro falso nueve"
"you don't fool me, Torres is another false number 9"

del bosque needs to realize he doesnt have messi on his team.
they can pass all they want but they lack someone who will face their opponents and go in to score.

that tactic only work for Pep.
if they at least had villa.
too many midfielders passing the ball around, no scorers.
take out Torres, put in Llorente

the line up should be.
Casillas
Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Javi Martinez
Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi, Busquets
Llorente, Pedro

Lol. That tweet pretty much says it all. No offence to Torres but Llorente would have done a better job. Del Bosque really needs to make use of him. I also think that Naval should start, he provides something extra when he comes on.

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

I felt bad for England... it has been a long time since they last won and they were THIS close this year
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[dajrekshn]

Germany is going to win this Euro without any doubt and IMO rightfully so. They play good football and are saving their strength (playing just as much as they need to). I think Spain will have big problems with Portugal and might actually be in a risk. TBH, i don't fancy their game at this Euro, find it boring and, as already mentioned, without spirit.

All in all, GO GERMANY!!!

 

[kokobombon]

There´s a saying in spanish that goes something like "scoring is not something you deserved, is something you accomplished"
same can be said about winning.

 

[Kimkhuu]

Please please, Mario Balotelli. Focus on your goals, you have Pirlo to feed you the best balls!

And Pirlo, what a class act!!!!

Euro 2012: Andrea Pirlo's penalty dink for Italy was reaction to a 'fired-up' England goalkeeper Joe Hart

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

England goalkeeper Joe Hart's attempt to intimidate Andrea Pirlo by shouting and waving his arms was behind the Italian's decision to hit a brazen chip down the middle of the goal during Italy's penalty shoot-out victory.

Grace under pressure: Italy's Andrea Pirlo spoons his penalty past England goalkeeper Joe Hart in the Euro 2012 quarter-final between the sides Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Despite Italy trailing in the Euro 2012 quarter-final shoot-out following Riccardo Montolivo's miss, Pirlo showed remarkable courage to dink his penalty straight and over the feet of Hart who had lunged to his right.

Explaining his shot, known as a cucchiaio, or spoon in Italian, Pirlo claimed that the imposing figure of Hart, who had been screaming at penalty takers and bouncing up and down on his line, inspired him to place the ball down the middle.

"I saw that the goalkeeper was really fired up and I thought about doing that," he said.

"It was easier to shoot that way and it put a bit of pressure on the goalkeeper."


Pirlo's strike has drawn comparisons with the penalty scored by Czech Antonin Panenka in a Euro 1976 shootout against West Germany. The Italians also found themselves on the receiving end of a similar penalty from French great Zinadene Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli heaped praise on Pirlo who he described as a "star" in the wake of the shoot-out. Penalties are a lottery but I thought we deserved victory in the end," said Prandelli. "When Montolivo missed his penalty I was sad as he was one of the best players tonight. I was watching with my arm around my son and I told him he was lucky he didn't have to buy a ticket. "When Andrea Pirlo stepped up I was very calm - he's a star and knew what he needed to do; and he did it. "Around 80% of penalty shoot-outs go down to luck. Some players are used to this kind of pressure, some are just calm in these situations - but mainly it's down to good fortune."

Even England manager Roy Hodgson spoke of his admiration for Pirlo's composure. "The cool, calculated way Pirlo chipped it, that is something you have or you don't have as a player," he said.

Italian midfielder Daniele De Rossi also heaped praise on Pirlo.
"If I had to choose a lasting image from the game I'd say Pirlo's penalty," he said. "I'd not seen such a crazy shot as that since the days of Totti."

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand, controversially left out of the national squad for this tournament, took to Twitter to praise Pirlo's all-round performance and penalty strike. "On a pure footballing note Pirlo just put on a pure footballing master class + the penalty was too much," he wrote.

http://youtu.be/T-3bswj2kCk

 

[japoelflaco]

Please please, Mario Balotelli. Focus on your goals, you have Pirlo to feed you the best balls!

And Pirlo, what a class act!!!!

I've read that Cassano is gonna be benched and Di Natale and Balotelli will start against Germany.
And the English pundits, they've jumped in the badwagon of Pirlo ten years late. There are other leagues besides the EPL you know?

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

i think germany will win... italy is not bad but germany seems to be really formidable this time...

and i have a feeling that portugal is gonna win

 

[iluvjeisa]

The team that wins always deserves to win. With the possible exception of extreme cases of judge bias. Fortunately we're not seeing much of this during these championships.

However, soccer is a game where there are few chances and that obviously makes for a result that is more random than, say, basketball.

If each goal is the measure of success, you can simply say that there are fewer samples in a soccer game (2 goals per game on average) compared to a basketball game (100 goals at the elite level).

 

[Alvedansen]

everybody is constantly telling me that Germany has no chance against Italy, i'm getting so anxious, i don't want Thursday to come

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

everybody is constantly telling me that Germany has no chance against Italy, i'm getting so anxious, i don't want Thursday to come

Lol really, it's completely different here. I personally think that Germany will win.... they did well this time i think. Im anxious too
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[catherine88]

I'm pretty sure Germany will win. They always do

 

[Forrest]

I think that Germany will beat Italy, Germany has a better team and Gomez scores very easy.
I must say that Pirlo is a great soccerplayer. The penaly was brilliant.
One of the highlights, cause we haven't seen much of that.

On a side note, this maybe not the right place but I want to take a moment for it:
The EC is a big thing and I was sad when holland was out, but when I heard this news:

Miquel Roque,a Real Betis defender who started at Barcelona's youth & had a stint at Liverpool, has died of cancer at the age of 23

I didn't really care anymore. RIP.

 

[Filipe]

and i have a feeling that portugal is gonna win

Why are you crying? It's a good feeling. Get ready, Spain

 

[dajrekshn]

everybody is constantly telling me that Germany has no chance against Italy, i'm getting so anxious, i don't want Thursday to come

seriously? if i was german i wouldn't even watch the game how sure i'd be of germany's win. no worries, Alvie!

portugal might be the only surprise in the semi-finals, IMO and i think it really might happen.

 

[Kimkhuu]

seriously? if i was german i wouldn't even watch the game how sure i'd be of germany's win. no worries, Alvie!

portugal might be the only surprise in the semi-finals, IMO and i think it really might happen.

As much as I love Italy, I have a feeling Germany could win. But we'll see. The Italian coach is pretty strategic, although it does not seem to work very well to win games so far! (they've ony won 1 match so far in the tournament). They really have a major issue up front to find the goal.

As for Portugal, I would be really really surprised if they win tomorrow.

 

[Filipe]

No need to be really really surprised if they win today, they have the team for that.

 

[dicky.89]

I think the favorite to win this UEFA Euro 2012 is Germany, but really don't like so much the idea i love suprise of diferent final not the usually predictions.

I am from Spain an obviusly want have options to go at final but like other options and what say Portugal and Italy have great teams, can't wait see semi-finals look interesting and hope will be enjoying of play.

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

Why are you crying? It's a good feeling. Get ready, Spain

thats bc i am a spain's fan

i just cant face the fact that spain is unlikely to win