Euro 2008 - Group D Preview
June 6th 2008 20:17
Greece
After a surprise win at Euro 2004, the Greeks were the big absents of 2006, failing to qualify for the World Cup. Now, they are right back in the mix after finishing first in their qualifying group, and they'll try to prove that their 2004 run wasn't a stroke of luck. Nikopolidis is back in front of the net, Charisteas will, once again, lead the attack while the midfield will feature Basinas, Giannakopoulos, Karagounis, and Katsouranis – all players who were present in 2004. Otto Rehhagel's squad is built around a defensive game where the team plays as a block, preventing the opposition's attacking midfielders to find the forwards. Expect to see a lot of 1-0 games with this team.
Russia
The Russians have the youngest team of the competition. They, along with Croatia, prevented England from participating in the tournament. Not a lot is expected of them, but with Guus Hiddink at the helm, they might surprise more than one.
Spain
The powerhouse of the group, Spain, has often left its fans puzzled. Strong on paper, they seem to be afflicted by a curse that prevents them from winning the quarterfinals of every major tournament. Real Madrid's Iker Casillas, one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, is back between the pipes. Barcelona's Carles Puyol will lead the defense for the fourth time in a major tournament. He will play alongside regulars Carlos Marchena and Sergio Ramos. The team becomes even more interesting in midfield with Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fabregas, and Xabi Alonso – all excellent playmakers. Gifted with excellent vision, Fabregas is the key of Spain's midfield. If he shows the same form that he had during the regular season with Arsenal, the Spanish side will be very dangerous in attack with David Villa and Fernando Torres prowling the opposition's penalty box while Fabregas makes his impeccable passes.
Sweden
One of my favorites, Sweden is a great squad which is always ignored by everyone and which doesn't get the credit it deserves. Sure, they don't get far but, they constantly give trouble to the powerhouses, whether it's Argentina and England in 2002, Denmark and Italy in 2004, and England (again) in 2006. With the dangerous pair - Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson - in front, Sweden is a team that attacks from the wings, finishing with crosses to the middle which always seem to find one of the two players. Their selected midfielders show well the mentality of this team with Fredrik Ljungberg, Christian Wilhelmsson, and Niclas Alexandersson as great wingers, while Tobias Linderoth, Anders Svensson and Kim Källström close down the middle of the park. In defense, veteran Olof Mellberg will lead his troops while Andreas Isaksson will be, once again, the starting goalkeeper.
After a surprise win at Euro 2004, the Greeks were the big absents of 2006, failing to qualify for the World Cup. Now, they are right back in the mix after finishing first in their qualifying group, and they'll try to prove that their 2004 run wasn't a stroke of luck. Nikopolidis is back in front of the net, Charisteas will, once again, lead the attack while the midfield will feature Basinas, Giannakopoulos, Karagounis, and Katsouranis – all players who were present in 2004. Otto Rehhagel's squad is built around a defensive game where the team plays as a block, preventing the opposition's attacking midfielders to find the forwards. Expect to see a lot of 1-0 games with this team.
Russia
The Russians have the youngest team of the competition. They, along with Croatia, prevented England from participating in the tournament. Not a lot is expected of them, but with Guus Hiddink at the helm, they might surprise more than one.
Spain
The powerhouse of the group, Spain, has often left its fans puzzled. Strong on paper, they seem to be afflicted by a curse that prevents them from winning the quarterfinals of every major tournament. Real Madrid's Iker Casillas, one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, is back between the pipes. Barcelona's Carles Puyol will lead the defense for the fourth time in a major tournament. He will play alongside regulars Carlos Marchena and Sergio Ramos. The team becomes even more interesting in midfield with Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fabregas, and Xabi Alonso – all excellent playmakers. Gifted with excellent vision, Fabregas is the key of Spain's midfield. If he shows the same form that he had during the regular season with Arsenal, the Spanish side will be very dangerous in attack with David Villa and Fernando Torres prowling the opposition's penalty box while Fabregas makes his impeccable passes.
Sweden
One of my favorites, Sweden is a great squad which is always ignored by everyone and which doesn't get the credit it deserves. Sure, they don't get far but, they constantly give trouble to the powerhouses, whether it's Argentina and England in 2002, Denmark and Italy in 2004, and England (again) in 2006. With the dangerous pair - Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson - in front, Sweden is a team that attacks from the wings, finishing with crosses to the middle which always seem to find one of the two players. Their selected midfielders show well the mentality of this team with Fredrik Ljungberg, Christian Wilhelmsson, and Niclas Alexandersson as great wingers, while Tobias Linderoth, Anders Svensson and Kim Källström close down the middle of the park. In defense, veteran Olof Mellberg will lead his troops while Andreas Isaksson will be, once again, the starting goalkeeper.
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