FiFA Football,World Cup 2014,UEFA Euro 2012,Soccer Records,Players,History,Events: UEFA SEMI Finals

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Miki Roqué Passes Away Aged 23 - UEFA Euro 2012

Real Betis Balompié defender Miki Roqué, who represented Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League, has died today at the age of 23 after succumbing to cancer of the pelvis.

Real Betis Balompié defender Miki Roqué has passed away at the age of 23 after succumbing to cancer of the pelvis.
Born in Lerida, Roqué rose through the youth ranks at Liverpool FC before returning to Spain, where he underwent surgery to remove a tumour last year. "The Real Betis player Miquel Roqué Farrero, Miki Roqué, has died today at the Instituto Dexeus de Barcelona hospital at the age of 23," read a statement on Betis's website. "Miki Roque had been battling pelvic cancer since March 2011, a struggle that he fought with fortitude and determination. Real Betis send their deepest condolences to the Roque family."
Signed by compatriot Rafael Benítez from hometown club UE Lleida, Roqué spent four years at Anfield between 2005 and 2009, helping the club win the FA Youth Cup in 2006 and making a substitute appearance against Galatasaray AŞ in the UEFA Champions League in December the same year. He spent spells on loan with Oldham Athletic AFC, Xerez CD and FC Cartagena before signing with Betis three years ago.

Cristiano Ronaldo Retains Number One Index Ranking

Cristiano Ronaldo consolidated his place at the top of the Castrol EDGE Index with his quarter-final display, though Spain now account for half of the top ten after beating France.

While Cristiano Ronaldo is still the man to catch at the summit of the Castrol EDGE Index following the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-finals, his place at the head of the leaderboard is under increasing threat from the growing contingent of Spain players in the top ten.
The Portugal captain started his side's last-eight victory against the Czech Republic with David Silva for close company. Though team-mate Pepe has since usurped the playmaker in second spot courtesy of his Index-topping rating in the Selecção's 1-0 victory, Spain's dominant display in eliminating France means the number of Vicente del Bosque's men in the upper echelons has increased from three to five.
Ronaldo's joint-leading third goal of the tournament at the National Stadium Warsaw was sufficient to keep him in situ atop the charts with a cumulative rating of 9.68, ahead of Real Madrid CF club-mate Pepe, who rises 12 places into second.
The centre-back, one of five 'captains' in Paulo Bento's squad, trailed only João Moutinho in the pass completion stakes against the Czechs with an 81% success rate. A factor in shaping his overall mark of 9.61 has been his anticipation and reading of the game – he has prevented an opposition pass from reaching its intended target 50 times in four outings.
One of the biggest climbers, however, is Xabi Alonso, another Madrid player. The midfielder, up from 26th, marked his 100th international appearance in style with both goals in Spain's 2-0 defeat of France, his second, from the spot, being the 30-year-old's third shot on target from four attempts. A key component in how the holders execute their famed tika-taka approach, he swelled his number of completed passes to 318 with a match-high 99 against Les Bleus.
Claudio Marchisio, one only two players to have taken the game-by-game honours in the Castrol EDGE Index more than once at UEFA EURO 2012, completes the top three, having been fifth at kick-off. The Italy man, though not the top-ranked performer in the Azzurri's penalty shoot-out triumph over England, registered a match score of 9.24 such was the standard of the Azzurri's performance in Kyiv.
Marchisio is followed by three of Alonso's team-mates, Andrés Iniesta, Gerard Piqué and Silva, who falls from second to sixth. Piqué is part of a Spain rearguard which has not conceded a goal since the 61st minute of La Roja's opening draw with Italy. Like Pepe, the centre-back has excelled in his reading of the game, intercepting/stopping a pass on 51 occasions.
Portugal's Fábio Coentrão, whose ten crosses attempted is the most of any full-back in Poland and Ukraine, Sergio Ramos and Michal Kadlec make up the top ten.
Key facts so far
0 – Attempts on target by the Czech Republic in their 1-0 quarter-final loss to Portugal.
1 – The England-Italy match was the first game of the finals to be goalless after 90 minutes.

4 – Portugal have been unchanged for all of their UEFA EURO 2012 fixtures.
5 – Against Greece, Germany's Mesut Özil became the fifth player to provide two assists in the same game at this tournament, emulating Andrey Arshavin (Russia v Czech Republic), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Netherlands v Germany), Karim Benzema (Ukraine v France) and David Silva (Spain v Republic of Ireland).
29 – Shots on goal at these finals by Cristiano Ronaldo, the most by a player at any EURO. The Portugal captain overtook Roman Pavlyuchenko's total of 28, set four years ago, during his side's victory against the Czech Republic.
371 – Xavi Hernandez leads the way in terms of passes completed. His total of 89 in the last-eight encounter with France was bettered only by Xabi Alonso.

Italy Need To Go To Finishing School - UEFA Euro 2012

Italy deserve credit for the way they dominated their quarter-final against England, but the fact they won on penalties reflects a profligacy in front of goal that needs addressing.

When I had the chance to sit down with Gianluigi Buffon on Friday he seemed pretty sure there would be no penalty shoot-out against England. "When you think too far ahead of how a match might finish, it never pans out that way; it normally ends sooner," he said.

Perhaps he was just trying to look on the bright side, in the belief that Italy were good enough to win the game in normal time. In theory they were: the Azzurri completely dominated the Kyiv quarter-final, unloading 35 attempts on goal to England's nine.

Yet, for all their possession, the four-time world champions have not been able to convert chances. They have registered just four strikes in as many matches and if Cesare Prandelli's side are to progress further they will need to address their profligacy in front of goal.

It might have been so different had Daniele De Rossi's swerving, first-time shot not rebounded off a post in the early stages, or had the same midfielder not scuffed his second-half effort wide with only Joe Hart to beat. However, the harder they tried the less convincing the Azzurri became at the business end.

Prandelli's team defended well, with Buffon only called into action the once when saving well from Glen Johnson, while Andrea Pirlo was again the evening's standout performer, somehow always making time for himself on the ball and spraying passes into danger areas at will.

It was a vintage performance, yet as Mario Balotelli continued to miss chances, Antonio Nocerino was denied first by the superb Johnson and then by the offside flag, and Diamanti hit the upright in extra time, it was apparent that Italy could play for another ten hours and still not score.

In the end, England almost scraped through, but the two Ashleys came up short and Italy lived to fight another day, thanks in part to an outlandishly impudent penalty by Pirlo.

Italy, it should be stressed, deserve enormous credit for the way they played, but they will need plenty of shooting practice ahead of the semi-final against Germany on Thursday if their adventure is not to come to an abrupt halt.

England Exit With Heads Held High - UEFA Euro 2012

England arrived at UEFA EURO 2012 with expectations at an all-time low, but a series of resilient displays before their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy suggests the future may be bright.

When England arrived at UEFA EURO 2012, expectations were at an all-time low. A managerial changeover and injuries to several key players had left many wondering whether the team would even make it out of their group. However, the appointment of Roy Hodgson reinvigorated the squad and, after four resilient displays, Steven Gerrard and Co go home with their heads held high.
In a nutshell
Given the limited preparation time at his disposal, Hodgson did a sterling job in organising his troops into a unit which proved very hard to beat. England may have lacked flair but their pragmatic approach earned them a first-place finish in Group D ahead of favourites France. In the end, England were outclassed by Italy in the last eight but their grit and determination meant ultimately that only penalties separated the Three Lions from a first semi-final appearance since EURO '96.
High point
Having taken an early lead in their second group match against Sweden, England switched off for 15 minutes after the break and suddenly found themselves 2-1 down. Defeat would have left them with a mountain to climb, but Hodgson reacted astutely. The introduction of Theo Walcott proved inspired as the Arsenal FC winger crashed in a long-range equaliser before turning on the turbo to tee up Danny Welbeck for a deft late winner. It was a fine show of character from the team and evidence that England had some style as well as substance.
Key man
Steven Gerrard has been a revelation since taking over the captaincy. The Liverpool FC midfielder provided the crosses for England's openers in all three group games, but those assists were only part of the 32-year-old's overall contribution. A leader by example on the field, Gerrard was every bit as influential off it, maturing into the skipper's role and exuding quiet resolve throughout.
Hope for the future
England travelled to Poland and Ukraine with the second youngest squad behind Germany but promising performances from Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott, as well as teenage winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, gave fans plenty of reason to believe there is sufficient talent coming through for a bright international future.
Vital statistic
Just three goals conceded in four matches at UEFA EURO 2012 gives a clear indication of how Hodgson's England will be a tough proposition for any side over the coming years.
Final word
"We gave our all but weren't quite good enough in the 120 minutes and, when it went to penalties, it went as it so often does for England. We go away unbeaten in normal time, but we go home because we can't win on penalties." England manager Roy Hodgson rues yet more misfortune from the spot.

Time to Sign Out From UEFA Champions League - England

With England about to head home, team reporter Andy James reflects on his time with the squad and the experience gained by the younger members of Roy Hodgson's party.

We all said it would go to penalties – and it did. Sadly the form book remained true and for the sixth time in seven shoot-outs at major tournaments, it was England who drew the short straw.

This time, at least, the pain was eased somewhat by the knowledge that, on the night, the better team won. Italy were dominant over 120 minutes in Kyiv, creating far the better chances and, with the evergreen Andrea Pirlo as their fulcrum, ultimately they deserved to progress to the semi-finals.

Still, that doesn't alter the feeling of emptiness as you wake up the following morning to the realisation that England's UEFA EURO 2012 campaign is over – and so is mine.

When I arrived in Poland 27 days ago, I had no idea what to expect. I'd been told that Krakow was a beautiful city and certainly wasn't disappointed on that front, but I, like everyone else, was reticent to predict how England would fare under a manager installed just weeks before the competition began.

Given that this was my first tournament with England, I was hugely excited in the build-up but also uncertain of how things would pan out on the ground. So to be met with such friendliness and respect from the Football Association (FA) was a real delight.

From the word go, Mark and Stuart from the FA media team did their very best to accommodate us in spite of countless requests from elsewhere. Needless to say, it was a pleasure both professionally and personally to interview the likes of Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Scott Parker. I was also fortunate enough to sit down with the England manager, Roy Hodgson, on three occasions – a privilege most of the world's media could only dream of.

At all times the players and staff were willing and courteous participants, painting quite a different picture to that which emerged in South Africa two years ago. As team camp reporter, I was able to witness first-hand what a unified bunch the England squad are. There was plenty of healthy banter at training sessions and in press conferences the players who spoke always did so openly and with good humor.

That spirit translated on to the pitch as England held firm against France before edging past Sweden and Ukraine to reach the latter stages. There they were faced by a superior Italy side, who they valiantly denied time and again before finally being ousted in the shoot-out.

It was a cruel and abrupt end to English hopes, but with no defeats in regulation time and a number of promising youngsters gaining valuable tournament experience, Hodgson certainly has a firm base to build on for the future.

Italy Don't Fear Anybody - Says Relieved Montolivo

Riccardo Montolivo spoke of his relief as his shoot-out miss went unpunished and he and Daniele De Rossi agreed that their display will inspire confidence for the clash with Germany.

Riccardo Montolivo said Italy had no reason to fear anybody after a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over England set up a UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final meeting with Germany on Thursday. The midfielder also spoke of his relief after sending his own spot kick wide but neither he nor team-mate Daniele De Rossi were in any doubt about who the better team were in Kyiv.
Riccardo Montolivo, Italy midfielder
It was a great relief, especially for me. I felt terrible after missing my penalty, it was really a tough moment but fortunately it ended well – we are lucky to have a goalkeeper like [Gianluigi] Buffon. However, the victory was fully deserved, we attacked for most of the game and created many chances even if we were not able to convert them. Losing on penalties after this performance would have been cruel.
We've played well in all of our games so far in the tournament. Now we will face Germany, probably the best team with Spain, but we will be ready to challenge them. We don't fear anybody, especially after a performance like tonight's.
Daniele De Rossi, Italy midfielder
It would have been a shame going out tonight. We are carrying on with something we started two years ago, with a kind of football that is not inferior to anyone perhaps bar Spain. We are doing great things and tonight more than the other games we have shown great sacrifice, a great team spirit and great focus from everybody. The players up front really helped out and this is a good sign.
I was not very lucky [with my shot on five minutes]. I thought it was going in, given the trajectory. I would have been even happier if it had helped us to go on and win the game but the joy we feel tonight is just unbelievable. We had unbelievable chances but if you play like we did tonight in the end you are going to win.

Gomez and Ronaldo Lead Top Scorers' Race

Mario Gomez and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the leading contenders to win the adidas Golden Boot after scoring three goals apiece on their way to the semi-finals.

There is a four-way tie in the race for the UEFA EURO 2012 adidas Golden Boot following the conclusion of the quarter-finals on Sunday.
Croatia's Mario Mandžukić and Alan Dzagoev of Russia were among the early contenders for the top scorers' crown after finding the net three times apiece in their teams' opening two fixtures. Neither country made it out of the group stage, however, forcing Mandžukić and Dzagoev to settle for their lot.
Though they remain at the head of the pile, there are two players with the same tally who look to be in ominous form. Mario Gomez, who scored 26 Bundesliga goals for FC Bayern München this term, also struck three times in Germany's first two fixtures against Portugal and the Netherlands. He is yet to add to that tally, though, having only featured for ten minutes of the quarter-final win against Greece.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, scorer of 40 Liga goals for Real Madrid CF in 2011/12, was far slower out of the blocks but now looks to have hit his stride. He was phenomenal in the 2-1 matchday three victory against the Dutch, scoring both goals, and also struck the winner as Paulo Bento's men defeated the Czech Republic to move into the last four.
The Spain trio of Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and Cesc Fàbregas are the only players on two goals who are still involved in the tournament. The race is on.
If players finish level on goals:
The following criteria are applied, in this order, to determine who wins the adidas Golden Shoe:
a) highest number of assists;
b) fewest minutes played.
NB: Only goals scored in normal or extra time count towards a player's tournament total – penalties scored in a shoot-out do not.

Champagne Performance From Vintage Pirlo

A midfield masterclass from Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo helped the Azzurri oust England on penalties to reach the semi-finals, and ensured he was the Castrol EDGE top performer.

Italy's sparkling midfielder Andrea Pirlo put in a champagne performance to inspire his side to a penalty shoot-out defeat of England in their UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-final at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv.
The Juventus maestro was peerless and topped the Castrol EDGE Index with a score of 9.56 courtesy of a performance that oozed class, as he orchestrated Italy's domination of their opponents.
Always in command, the Azzurri's 815 completed passes dwarfed England's 320, and Pirlo was responsible for a remarkable 117 of them. Only Federico Balzaretti came close to that figure, and his 93 still pales in comparison. This was not a case of quantity over quality, however. Pirlo's vision, range and incisiveness were second to none, producing 31 passes into the attacking third and carving out a host of chances for Italy with 19 deliveries into key areas.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner gave everything for the cause against England. He covered the third greatest distance on the pitch at over 15.21km, forced keeper Joe Hart into two saves at one end and blocked several efforts at the other in a tireless showing.
Such a feat, at 33 years of age and following a career-high season in terms of club appearances, is impressive in itself. But Pirlo also managed not to concede a single foul in the 120 minutes and then stepped up to coolly clip in an Antonín Panenka-style penalty under pressure as Italy trailed in the shoot-out.
Glen Johnson's efforts at either end of the pitch earned him a 9.53 rating and second place, while a clean sheet and a top-class save from Johnson ensured Azzurri No1 Gianluigi Buffon finished third on 9.50.
Castrol EDGE Index: England v Italy
1. Andrea Pirlo (ITA) 9.56
2. Glen Johnson (ENG) 9.53
3. Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) 9.50
4. Mario Balotelli (ITA) 9.25
5. Leonardo Bonucci (ITA) 9.21
Key facts
4.75 – England managed only 2.75 shots on target per game at UEFA EURO 2012; only Ukraine, Greece and the Republic of Ireland produced fewer.
14 – Italy are now unbeaten in their last 14 competitive games.
1 – England have now won only one of seven penalty shoot-outs in which they have taken part (beating Spain at EURO '96).
815 – Completed passes by Italy, more than doubling England's total of 320.
Player view
Andrea Pirlo: "I didn't fear an upset as England barely created anything but just tried to defend and drag us to penalties. We stayed in control and in the end we won. We dominated the encounter and it's a pity we didn't take our chances during the 90 minutes or extra time. At least penalties sent the right team through."

England look forward as penalty pain strikes again

Steven Gerrard spoke of the "heartbreak" for England after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy, while Wayne Rooney and Glen Johnson both saw encouraging signs.

England captain Steven Gerrard spoke of his team's "heartbreak" after their penalty shoot-out loss to Italy ended their UEFA EURO 2012 campaign in the quarter-finals, while forward Wayne Rooney insisted that their well-organised display should be read as "good for the future".
Steven Gerrard, England midfielder
I just feel for the players who, from day one since we met up have given absolutely everything, and today we've done the same. I thought this time in a penalty shoot-out we might have had that bit of luck we need, and it wasn't to be.
In a penalty shoot-out, when you get your nose in front you're praying that you see it out and it's your turn. But credit to Italy, they're a fantastic team, and they got the bit of luck in the shoot-out.
The lads at the back were fantastic tonight and everyone's been great in training. Every time we've come out we've done the country proud, but again we go home in heartbreak, which is difficult to take.
Wayne Rooney, England forward
It's obvious that we're all completely gutted about it, but it happens and we have to hold our heads up high. Nobody expected much of us this tournament and we've showed we're a good team. We're well organized and it's good for the future. There's a lot of young players and this experience will obviously help them – we're all excited about [the future].
It's a hard way to go out, and it's happened too many times now – hopefully it's time we won one.
They had more possession and chances but they didn't have too many clear chances – maybe [Mario] Balotelli in the first half – but we defended well and hoped that we'd get that chance. Unfortunately, it went to penalties and anything can happen from there.
Glen Johnson, England defender
It's never nice when you get knocked out of a major tournament. But once you get to penalties, unfortunately anything can happen. Again, we showed how well we can defend as a team, and how difficult it's going to be for the other team to score against us.
We thought it was a positive tournament, things look positive for the future. Obviously it was disappointing to go out at this stage of the competition, but that's football. And when you get to penalties, anything can happen. But it's looking positive for the future.
We have shown teams how well we can defend as a whole, as a unit. If we keep defending like that and don't concede many goals, I'm sure that we're going to win more games than we lose.
[Italy] are a fantastic side; they were always going to be one of the favorites for the tournament. They've got some fantastic players. But we matched them well today and were just unlucky on the penalties.

Italians are Dancing after After Put England's Hope to Bed

After 120 minutes of nervous action, the lottery of penalties and a call from the president, Cesare Prandelli admitted he just wanted to sleep – but not before a few thoughts on Germany.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was delighted after his side won the "lottery" of penalties against England, though he admitted he was never unduly concerned during the 4-2 shoot-out victory. He congratulated his son on getting a free ticket for the game, then the Azzurri camp took a call from President Giorgio Napolitano, but by the early hours he just wanted to get to bed. England counterpart Roy Hodgson was understandably less eager to leave.
Roy Hodgson, England manager
We tried our best. We worked as hard as we could. We survived physical problems – Scott Parker with his Achilles and Steven Gerrard with cramp – but whether we did enough to go through is a matter of opinion. There was never a question of playing for penalties.
Our defending was resolute and we did very well, particularly in the second half of extra time to hold out but we couldn't capitalize in the shoot-out. Penalty taking has become something of an obsession for English football but while you can practise you can't reproduce the atmosphere and tension. The cool, collected way Andrea Pirlo took his penalty – you can't coach that.
Both teams created chances. I thought Italy played well but for long periods I thought it was an interesting tactical battle and for all their possession they didn't often get behind us. Had we won it we wouldn't have been apologising.
Press conferences are never easy but they're especially difficult after defeat. Tonight's defeat after a penalty shoot-out is all the harder as we wanted to stay on and reward our fans. We gave our all but weren't quite good enough in the 120 minutes and when it went to penalties it went as it so often does for England. We go away unbeaten in normal time; but we go home because we can't win on penalties.
Cesare Prandelli, Italy coach
I wasn't surprised by tonight. I knew we could control the game. My worry was that we were allowing England too much space on the break – we could have been a bit cleverer in our build-up play. We tried to play football. We tried to draw England out; we tried to hit them quickly. I think if we'd scored in the 90 minutes it would have been an even better game.
Penalties are a lottery but I thought we deserved victory in the end. When [Riccardo] 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.
President Napolitano called us to congratulate us and that was special. We are delighted but we have to get ready for Germany now. They have had two more days' rest. If we have the same approach, the same desire, I think we can compete.
Germany and Spain are favorites here. We'll need everyone fit and fresh; we're going to go for it. They're always attacking games against Germany. Germany are a great side – they made changes against Greece and it made no difference. The game here hasn't long ended and we want to get our players fit – we just want to go home and get to bed to be honest.

EURO Semi-Final Referees Appointed Finally

Turkey's Cüneyt Çakır and Frenchman Stéphane Lannoy have been appointed to take charge of the UEFA EURO 2012 semi-finals in Donetsk and Warsaw respectively.

UEFA has announced the referee teams for this week's UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final encounters.
Turkish referee Cüneyt Çakır will take charge of the first semi-final between Portugal and Spain in Donetsk on Wednesday. He will be accompanied by assistant referees Bahattin Duran and Tarik Ongun, and additional assistant referees Hüseyin Göcek and Bülent Yildirim – all from Turkey – and Damir Skomina (Slovenia) will be fourth official.
Frenchman Stéphane Lannoy has been appointed to referee the second semi-final between Germany and Italy in Warsaw on Thursday. The rest of the referee team comprises Lannoy's compatriots Frédéric Cano and Michael Annonier as assistants, and Fredy Fautrel and Ruddy Buquet as additional assistant referees. Howard Webb (England) has been named fourth official.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

France Start Well but Fail to Continue Ahead - UEFA French Team Review

After France progressed beyond the group stage for the first time in three major tournaments, Matt Spiro assesses a campaign that ultimately ended in disappointment for Les Bleus.

France's UEFA EURO 2012 campaign was simmering nicely after a promising opening draw with England and a fine victory over Ukraine, but a 2-0 defeat in their third Group D match by Sweden seemed to hit the side's confidence. After conceding an early goal in the quarter-final against Spain, Les Bleus rarely looked capable of troubling the defending champions and bowed out as Xabi Alonso scored his second of the night, from the spot, late on.
In a nutshell
Although they progressed beyond the group stage for the first time in their last three major tournaments, and extended their impressive unbeaten run to 23 games after victory over the co-hosts, France's self-belief and spirit ultimately proved too fragile. The loss to Sweden – the team's first in nearly two years – should not have had such a damaging impact, but Laurent Blanc admitted he had to work hard to restore calm to the dressing room afterwards. When the going got tough against Spain, the two-time European champions appeared to be just too short on faith and quality to come back.
High point
There was so much for French fans to be pleased with in the 2-0 win against Ukraine. Blanc's charges coped with the freak weather and the raucous home support that roared Oleh Blokhin's men forward at every opportunity. They were strong at the back and clinical up front, with Jérémy Ménez finishing a superb Franck Ribéry-inspired counterattack and the excellent Yohan Cabaye adding a second goal shortly after. It was a performance that had the nation hoping the good times were about to return.
Key man
Blanc summed Cabaye up well when he said: "He is the kind of player you miss when he is not there." France missed Cabaye badly in the group match against Sweden, when he was rested due to a slight thigh problem, and he provided France's most dangerous moment upon his return against Spain, forcing Iker Casillas into a fine save with an accurate free-kick. Cabaye's masterful midfield displays against England and Ukraine had Blanc calling him "indispensable".
Hope for the future
This was not Yann M'Vila's tournament in the end. He was a key player in qualifying and Blanc had him pencilled in as the linchpin of the France midfield. Sadly for the coach and the player, the 21-year-old injured his ankle in a warm-up game against Serbia. Although he returned against Ukraine, coming on in the second half, and started against both Sweden and Spain, the Stade Rennais FC ball-winner lacked sharpness. He should, however, be a big player in years to come.
Vital statistic
One shot on target against Spain was clearly not enough.
Final word
Laurent Blanc: "We ran a lot. I thought the boys gave everything they had. Against Spain, it's difficult ... "

Spain Can Learn From 'Cheeky' Cubs

Spain have set the standard in international football in recent years, but Graham Hunter wonders whether the reigning European champions could learn from those chasing them.

When Xavi Hernández ran the rule over Spain's opposition just before UEFA EURO 2012 began, he praised Germany's possession-based attacking flair by saying: "Everyone's trying to copy our style now ... it's terrific."

That there are things to be learned and duplicated from Spain's seductive approach to football was further highlighted when Vicente del Bosque's side shook off the shackles of France's containing strategy in Donetsk – creating five on-target chances to their opponents' one, and scoring two goals which stemmed from the pace and adventure of Andrés Iniesta, Jordi Alba and Pedro Rodríguez.

But, and here I'm going to edge forward cautiously, is there now something Spain could learn from the Germans?

It is with great care that I even gently offer some advice to the Marquis Del Bosque. However, it was impressive and intelligent when Joachim Löw chose to change a winning team against Greece. His replacement players Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus each scored. Germany played with verve and energy and those left out now have fewer game-time minutes burdening tired legs and minds.

Against France, Spain kept rigidly to their credo – win the ball, keep the ball, use it to attack. But there were some errors of communication when key passes were dispatched, one or two moments when possession was given away in the most rare of styles for Spain and, until Pedro was introduced, a lack of zip and pace.

Del Bosque has made an art of studiously sticking to core ideas and only moderating subtly when it comes to tactical or personnel alterations. He's the model of Kipling's "if you can keep your head when all around you are losing theirs ... ".

Even so, perhaps there's an opportunity to recreate Löw's tactic that "we had to be unpredictable against Greece, because I felt they would be ready for us. It is good to be cheeky like that from time to time."

One of the things I most like about Del Bosque is that he lets me be 'cheeky' to him and he gives it right back. Having interviewed him early in this tournament and then handed over to my colleague Dani Huerta for the second chat, Del Bosque commented to me: "I see you're on the bench now."

Perhaps it's time for the Marquis to be 'cheeky' and address the fact that Spain have two days' less rest than Portugal before their semi-final on Wednesday. Cheeky enough to give a start to Pedro and perhaps one or other of the Fernandos, Llorente and and Torres, up front?

Donetsk Stages Respect Match - UEFA Live Updates

Players with hearing impairments participated in the latest match staged by UEFA's Respect Inclusion project, which took place at the Donbass Arena ahead of last night's quarter-final.

Football is for all – and two teams of players with hearing impairments showed their love of the game by playing a seven-a-side match under UEFA's Respect Inclusion project ahead of the UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-final between Spain and France at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk last night.
The match was one of four being held before each EURO quarter-final. Special Olympics and blind or partially sighted players took the stage in Warsaw and Gdansk. Now Ukraine is taking up the baton with last night's activities and a game featuring players with locomotive difficulties before this evening's last quarter-final between England and Italy at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv.
UEFA's partner for the realization of this project is the National Sports Committee for the Disabled of Ukraine (NSCDU). The goal is to give children with different disabilities a platform on which they can display their sporting abilities. This should help raise consciousness that these players should not be excluded, but are an integral part of today's society.
Over the last two years, children from across Ukraine, aged under 15 and with different disabilities, were invited to join training camps. In these camps, the youngsters were taught the basics of football and trainers started working on their technical skills.
Mini-tournaments took place in the centre for Deaflympic activities in Yevpatoriya, Crimea, and the winning teams – Mriia and Zorya – earned the opportunity to play in Donetsk last night. Participants were proud of their efforts. "It was a dream come true, a memory which I will keep forever," said 15-year-old Andrii Iedynak from the Mriia team.
"It was a good game with a good result, even if the start was difficult because everybody was nervous and excited," added Iaroslav Bezruk from the Zorya side – a footballer since the age of three – who went on to express his dream to play for the Ukrainian national team.
As of today, about 2,300 adults and 1,500 children in Ukraine with different disabilities are playing football, and it is felt strongly that such showcase games only help increase these numbers.

Positive Vibe Despite France Exit - UEFA EURO 2012

France slipped out of UEFA EURO 2012 having achieved their objective, and though they are not the finished article, Matthew Spiro says they have a certain je ne sais quoi.
A campaign that promised so much has finished disappointingly. For two years, Laurent Blanc and his players stuck to the same line: "Our objective is to reach the quarter-finals," they said in unison. "France have not progressed from the group stage at a major tournament since 2006. Our aim is to end that run."
Of course that is true, and they have every right to feel a degree of satisfaction at having achieved that goal. Les Bleus are still a long way from the heady days of 1998 and 2000 yet they are at least moving in the right direction again. Deep down, though, the players will feel frustrated. When Blanc's men extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches by disposing of Ukraine in clinical fashion, moving to the top of Group D, there was a clear sense in the camp that something exciting was about to happen.
In my privileged position as team reporter, I could see that. Already, when Blanc and his squad arrived in Donetsk, you could feel the positive vibe. The players were thrilled to be here and looking forward to restoring pride in the blue shirt. The players' friendly and relaxed moods when they attended press conferences or stepped into the UEFA.com interview room was a clear giveaway. This was a happy bunch.
What happened in the Sweden game remains a mystery. "I don't think there's a single explanation," Florent Malouda told us. "I wouldn't say the players were overconfident," insisted Blanc. Erik Hamrén's side were already eliminated and yet they seemed hungrier and sharper than France. The 2-0 reverse did not cost Blanc's team their place in the quarter-finals but the outlook definitely changed that night.
A first defeat in 24 matches should not have undone all the good work that had been carried out before. Nonetheless it appeared to sap confidence. Taking on Spain is tough at the best of moments, so when Blanc admitted his preparation had been delayed because he had needed to spend time calming his players down, I knew they were up against it.
Following Les Bleus every day for three weeks has been a superb experience. They may not have been the best side at this tournament, yet I would say they are the most intriguing. The French dressing room seems to be a fascinating place. It is difficult to know what really makes these talented players tick. But if Blanc stays and finds the answer, they'll be worth watching at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Restaurants in Warsaw are showcasing Polish cuisine

Polish cuisine is not yet famous worldwide, but as UEFA.com's man in Warsaw Bartosz Król discovers, the Polish breakfast campaign is helping spread the word at UEFA EURO 2012.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do; and when in Warsaw, fans are being encouraged to eat local with UEFA EURO 2012 coinciding with a campaign to promote the Polish breakfast.
Over the last few months, a jury of local food experts have been piecing together a perfect breakfast menu, comprising ingredients of Polish origin as a means of promoting local dishes. Key elements are cottage cheese with fresh vegetables (especially radish, chives and parsley), with yoghurt, salt and pepper, served with bread; scrambled eggs with chives; warm rolls with butter and thick apple sauce or honey; Polish ham and liver sausage and soft-boiled eggs. Bars and restaurants serving traditional Polish breakfasts have a special logo to entice foreign supporters.
The campaign has been a success, with plenty of fans interested in sampling the local specialties. "Customers ask about practically every item on the menu," Krzysztof, owner of the Cooker restaurant in Warsaw, told UEFA.com. "For breakfast they usually order the scrambled eggs or sausages. During the day the orders vary. Pierogi dumplings are very popular, as well as herring, żurek (a sour cream soup with egg and white sausage), goulash soup and pork chop served with potatoes and young cabbage."
"Fans are enjoying Polish smoked meats and sausages, both traditional and dry," added Dominik from the Regional Specialties restaurant. "They are also happily trying Polish regional cheese, especially sheep cheese from the Tatra Mountains known as oscypek. Pork neck and tomato soup are best-sellers too. We have already had visitors from a lot of different countries, and most of them have loved Polish food. As far I could see, perhaps only the French visitors did not really get the hang of our national dishes."
Andrzej from Polish Delicacy said: "From what you can see out on the tables, the meat dishes that have been a real success have been Polish-style roast duck, pork tenderloin or leg of lamb. Football fans from all over the world have also tasted homemade lard with pickled cucumber and bread, sauerkraut stew with mushrooms and sausage, Silesian dumplings, potato pancakes and beetroot soup."
Tyler from Dublin, who has stayed in the Polish capital to soak up the atmosphere following the Republic of Ireland's departure, has been impressed by the food on offer. "We are pleased we have had the chance to meet Polish people, but also to try Polish cuisine, because you really have something to be proud of over here," he said. "You can be sure we will be talking up Poland and Polish food when we get back home."

Germany Intrested to See England Next - UEFA Euro Politics

Several Germany players have openly said they would rather play England than Italy in the semi-finals. UEFA.com's team reporter Steffen Potter explains their thinking.

Before their final group stage game against Denmark, Germany pretty much knew that they would come up against Greece if they made the quarter-finals. If they went through, it was always likely to be as group winners, and their chance of finishing second with six points was even more unlikely than the possibility of their finishing third. However, they will have to wait until late tonight to discover who they will meet in the semi-finals in Warsaw on Thursday, Italy or England.
Asking players who they would prefer to meet in this sort of situation tends to be a journalistic dead end. Take your pick from the following unenlightening answers: "It doesn't matter who we come up against"; "We don't care who we play"; "I have no preference"; "Both are strong sides"; "If you want to win a title, you have to beat everyone anyway". Having heard all of these a hundred times, I usually don't even bother with the question.

Thus it came as something of a refreshing change that so many of the Germany players expressed a preference in terms of their semi-final opponents. "I would prefer England – they suit us better," said Holger Badstuber, while captain Philipp Lahm added: "I would prefer England, just because it would be great to have a classic in the semi-final." Marco Reus concluded: "Rooney is an outstanding player, but we are the better team."

Given the tendency within the tabloid press to spin such statements wildly out of proportion, it is worth noticing that a lot of the sense of them gets lost in translation. Being half German and half English, I feel safe to comment on this. What sounds like hubris in English is more a reflection of genuine excitement. German players and fans like English football, seeing its traditional style and values: grit, determination, passion – as not too far removed from their own.

Plus there is the small fact that, while Germany have yet to win a competitive game against Italy, they have beaten England several times in recent decades.

Nonetheless, it is not all down to cool pragmatism. The fact that so many Germans will be quietly rooting for England tonight does not mean they think Roy Hodgson's side will be a semi-final pushover. They just reckon on a much more direct, dramatic test of strength against England, while Italy – historically at least – tend to avoid such open confrontation, deftly picking the lock rather than kicking down the door.

That logic might not hold – from what I have seen so far, England are likely to play an even more cagey game than Italy, but if I am honest, I reckon that Joachim Löw's side will be too strong for either side anyway. Hubris? Ask me again on Thursday.

UEFA and the Biggest European Champions League

If you attended the opening match of UEFA EURO 2012 or any of the games in the knockout phase, you can have photographic proof with UEFA.com's extraordinary I Was There application.

UEFA EURO 2012 is already being feted as one of the best international competitions of modern times, and if you attended the opening game or any of the games in the knockout phase, you can have photographic proof with UEFA.com's extraordinary I Was There application.

Using stunning 360 degree photographs of all of the venues at kick-off, UEFA.com users are being encouraged to find themselves in the crowd and tag their photo, creating a permanent record of everyone who witnessed the spectacle. Tag yourself and your friends, and you can share your pictures on email, Twitter and Facebook. Hundreds of fans have already registered their presence at the opening match, with thousands more expected to follow as the remaining quarter-final images are released.

The message is simple: There would be no UEFA EURO 2012 without fans. The players are already making history in Poland and Ukraine, and now you can replay your role too.

Bastian Schweinsteiger Concern at Ankle Problem - Euro Cup 2012

"My ankle worries me," Bastian Schweinsteiger said, the aftermath of torn ligaments suffered back in February still hampering the midfielder and leading him to play "bad passes".

A collarbone fracture, torn ankle ligaments and a calf injury kept Bastian Schweinsteiger out of around a third of FC Bayern München's games last season and some even doubted his participation at UEFA EURO 2012. While it seemed that he was back to his best with his two assists in the group stage defeat of the Netherlands, however, the influential Germany midfielder has now revealed that he is having problems.
"To be honest, my ankle worries me," the 27-year old declared in an interview with Welt newspaper which was published this morning, the injury dating back to February. "It has not healed in an ideal way."
With his performances against Denmark and now Greece below par, criticism towards him has been voiced, questions regarding his stamina raised and this explains why he has now chosen to reveal his problems. "I am fit," he said.
"It is not a question of stamina. It is about small movements in a game, about that explosiveness. Before the Greece match I could only take part in the final training session. You lack something. I played some bad passes against Greece, which usually doesn't happen to me. It must not happen to a player like me.
"The time has not yet come for me to rest," he added. "Hopefully we will have two more games and I will struggle through. Then I have to see that I will finally get fully fit again."
A lack of sharpness, he goes on to explain, has led to him "becoming more of an organiser of the game, while Sami Khedira is making more attacking runs". Statistics show that Schweinsteiger played an incredible 109 passes in the quarter-final on Friday, with a completion rate of 92%, surely not something to be ashamed of, although it is the few passes that did go astray that concerned him.
So it is a warning as well as an accolade when captain Philipp Lahm today said: "We need a fully fit Bastian Schweinsteiger. We are in the semi-final of a European Championship. He is experienced and knows his body well. It would be important if he could play."
Much has been made of the depth in Germany's squad and many in the stands in Gdansk on Friday, when Greece were beaten 4-2, had wondered why Joachim Löw did not replace Schweinsteiger with Toni Kroos in the second half. The answer is simple – Löw still hopes that his No7 will find his stride. Schweinsteiger, however, has already said: "I wouldn't have a problem with it," if Löw decided to replace him for Thursday's semi-final.

Pirès Silences Donetsk Media - Inside UEFA Euro Cup

A friendly game against visiting media seemed like a nice idea for local journalists in Donetsk, until they saw who they were up against, as Viktor Sharafudinov discovered.

Local journalists in Donetsk have been receiving some stern footballing lessons from their French and English counterparts, but with a number of former senior internationals being fielded against them, that is no great surprise.
With Ukrainian reporters enjoying the presence of the world's media in the mining region, it seemed like a great idea to set up a series of friendly games against their French and English counterparts at the finals. However, the matches played at the home of local second division side FC Olimpik Donetsk proved to be somewhat one-sided, no great shock given the personnel involved.
The France team included 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000 winner Robert Pirès for a start, now working as a pundit on French TV. At 38, he has not lost his touch – he scored two and set up four more in a 12-4 win against the Ukrainians (in which 50-year-old OGC Nice coach Claude Puel scored a hat-trick), having laid on five more assists in a 6-1 victory against England.
"Ukraine have a good team, but of course we are much stronger," said Pirès, putting any false modesty aside. "I think everyone has enjoyed this opportunity to play, and that is the meaning of friendlies like this."
Ukraine might have called on current international Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who has worked as a TV commentator, but found that the FC Bayern München midfielder was somewhat unwilling to take time out from his day job during the group stage. As it was, they could call on no star turns in their 3-0 defeat against England, in which 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-finalist Chris Waddle scored the opening goal, with former Liverpool FC and Aston Villa FC star Stan Collymore proving to be more than decent as a playmaker.
"Unfortunately, we haven't had a lot of opportunities to play together on such a big pitch," said Ukraine goalkeeper Denys Sobolev after his side's chastening experience. "And it would be nice to have been ten years younger."

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