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GROUP C!

Preview by Kestas.

 

Group C: Italy, France, Holland, Romania

 

This group is the hardest to predict. I guess no one could argue about that. Actually, we can see 3 teams (Italy, France, Holland) all possible winners not only of this group, but of the tournament as well!

 

HOLLAND SQUAD:

 

Goalkeepers: Edwin Van der Sar (Manchester United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord)
 

Defenders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim De Cler (Feyenoord), Johnny Heitinga (Ajax), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Mario Melchiot (Wigan), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord),
 

Midfielders: Orlando Engelaar (Twente), Nigel de Jong (SV Hamburg), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar)
 

Forwards: Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic)
 

There were many talks when coach M. Van Basten has left C. Seedorf out of the squad. As leaders of the team, we would call Real Madrid Trio (Robben, Sneijder and R. Van Nistelrooy). Robben, who had good season in Real after leaving Chelsea. I guess there is no need to talk about Van Nistelrooy whose carrier, let's say, looked like is ending, but showed all his good skills at Real Madrid. I can say he can be one of the topscorers in the championship. So this trio + D. Kuyt + K.J. Huntellar - can make life difficult for rivals. Looks like this team is all ready to attack. So hope to see good performance from them. As for Huntelaar, various media outlets have noted him as a rising star in Dutch football, being named Dutch Football Talent of the Year and Ajax "Player of the year" in 2006. He also became the top scorer in the 2007–08 season with 33 goals in 34 appearances. With no doubt he reached better level than Ajax and it's good opportunity to show his skills in this tournament.

But, as former Holland international Ronald de Boer in his interview before Euro 2008 says he can not see the proud in the eyes of Holland players. And if the team will not be united, he can not see any chances to qualify from this hard group.
 

Prediction: 3 place (conclusion: too many good teams in one group)

 

ITALY SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla)
 

Defenders: Christian Panucci (Roma), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
 

Midfielders: Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Simone Perrotta (Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Alberto Aquilani (Roma)
 

Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria)
 

Italy has been always strong with it's ability to defend. Sadly, they have lost one of the best world's defenders F. Cannavaro because of injury in the training preparation to Euro 2008 after confrontation with his team mate.
In recent days, there were disharmony in Italy's camp. Great, impressive, but player with temperament A. Cassano nearly fought on the pitch with his teammates, but head coach Donadoni suppressed this unpleasant situation for the moment, but all this continued later in the changing rooms, so you can imagine that atmosphere in the team is not the best coaches and fans would like to have. Well, the forwards in the team are not very impressive actually.
A. Del Piero is old guy and I can't remember him scoring or playing very well. Think the player to look after is Luca Toni, who scores this season playing in Bayern, but in the national team it's bit different style of plays, so who knows.
 

Prediction: 2 place (but I wouldn't be very surprised to see them 3rd after Holland - Italy is a team, that can play very well or have a terrible nightmare in the competitions.)

 

FRANCE SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
 

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyon), Francois Clerc (Lyon), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas (Arsenal), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona), Sebastien Squillaci (Lyon)
 

Midfielders: Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Samir Nasri (Marseille), Florent Malouda (Chelsea)
 

Strikers: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Bafetimbi Gomis (St Etienne), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Sidney Govou (Lyon),
 

I would like to call the favorites of the group. It's a mix of old, experienced players with young future stars (Benzema, Nasri) of european football.
It's one of the last chances for players like Makelele, Vieiria, Anelka, and even maybe Henry to win this title!

The player to look for, we would call F. Ribery, who has been voted no.1 player of Bundesliga. Yes, it's not the best league in Europe, but it says quite a lot!

They have difficulties for qualifying for Euro 2008, but finnaly have overtaken Scotland and finished in second place, even if they lost both matches to Scotland. But I think it's end of story, we should forget that! It's a tournament, it's not long road to championship, so it's different preparation.
One worry I think can be goalkeepers, but with such defense line I do not think it means much.
 

Prediction: 1 place (experience + young agression will be the key, as Italy will drop points finishing in draws with some of the teams.)

ROMANIA SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Bogdan Lobont (Dinamo Bucharest), Eduard Stanciou (CFR 1907 Cluj), Marius Popa (FCU Politehnica Timisoara)
 

Defenders: Cosmin Contra (Getafe), Gabriel Tamas (Auxerre), Stefan Radu (Lazio), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk), Cristian Chivu (Inter Milan), Cristian Sapunaru (Rapid Bucharest), Dorin Goian, Sorin Ghionea, Mirel Radoi (all Steaua Bucharest), Cosmin Moti (Dinamo Bucharest)
 

Midfielders: Florentin Petre (CSKA Sofia), Paul Codrea (Siena), Razvan Cocis (Lokomotiv Moscow), Banel Nicolita (Steaua Bucharest), Adrian Cristea (Dinamo Bucharest)
 

Forwards: Nicolae Dica (Steaua Bucharest), Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina), Ciprian Marica (Stuttgart), Daniel Niculae (Auxerre), Marius Niculae (Inverness)
 

Everyone calls this team weakest in this group. Looking at the names, yes there are no big football stars. The player to look after will be Fiorentina forward A. Mutu.
Most players play in local league in the teams of Bucharest. As this league can not be called very weak but let's face the reality after looking at the names in the squads in all 4 teams.
 

Prediction: 4 place (lack of experienced players to keep such tensioned games with other teams. If it was any different group, I could see them qualifying, as I think this team can play in one level as Czechs, Portugal or Russia.)
 

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