Euro 2008 – Group D

04Jun08

Greece

Manager: Otto Rehhagel
Star man: Georgios Karagounis
Qualifying: W10, D1, L1
2004 finish: Winners
Best finish: Winners (2004)

The 2004 winners failed to reach the 2006 World Cup, but dominated their qualifying group to reach Austria-Switzerland with the best record of any side. In 2004 Greece consistently ground their way to victory with a series of 1-0 wins; there’s no reason to expect anything different this time around (except perhaps the level of success).

Predicted favored line-up:

(4-3-3)

GK Antonios Nikopolidis
RB Giourkas Seitaridis
CB Traianos Dellas
CB Sotirios Kyrgiakos
LB Vassilios Torosidis
CM Angelos Basinas
CM Konstantinos Katsouranis
CM Georgios Karagounis
RW Angelos Charisteas
FW Theofanis Gekas
LW Ioannis Amanatidis

Russia

Manager: Guus Hiddink
Star man: Andrei Arshavin
Qualifying: W7, D3, L2
2004 finish: Group stage
Best finish: Winners (1960*)

Gifted their way into the competition by England and without the suspended Andrei Arshavin for the first two matches, Russian prospects look bleak. Hiddink’s managerial success to date has been built more upon spin than substance, and with the youngest squad in the tournament it would be a massive surprise if Russia were to make the knock-out stage.

Predicted favored line-up:

(3-2-3-1-1)

GK Igor Akinfeev
CB Sergei Ignashevich
CB Vasili Berezutski
CB Aleksei Berezutski
CM Igor Semshov
CM Konstantin Zyrianov
LM Yuri Zhirkov
AM Diniyar Bilyaletdinov
RM Vladimir Bystrov
SS Andrei Arshavin
FW Pavel Pogrebnyak

*As the USSR

Spain

Manager: Luis Aragonés
Star man: Fernando Torres
Qualifying: W9, D1, L2
2004 finish: Group stage
Best finish: Winners (1964)

Perennial under-achievers, Spain have a wholse host of talented players, but will probably struggle in time honoured fashion. Fortunately for coach Luis Aragonés, his side find themselves in the weakest of the four groups, but should they qualify for the kncok-outs then Italy, France or the Netherlands in the quarter-finals looks a certainty.

Predicted favored line-up:

(4-3-3)

GK Iker Casillas
RB Sergio Ramos
CB Carlos Marchena
CB Carles Puyol
LB Joan Capdevila
CM Xavi Hernández
CM Marcos Senna
CM Cesc Fabergas
RW David Silva
FW Fernando Torres
LW Andrés Iniesta

Sweden

Manager: Lars Lagerbäck
Star man: Henrik Larsson
Qualifying: W8, D2, L2
2004 finish: Quarter-finals
Best finish: Semi-finals (1992)

Sweden qualified for Euro 2008, using broadly the same group of players which competed in the 2006 World Cup. Talisman Henrik Larsson did not take part in any of the qualifying matches, but has come out of retirement to play in the finals. Expect endeavour, organisation, but little imagination.

Predicted favored line-up:

(4-4-2)

GK Andreas Isaksson
RB Mikael Nilsson
CB Olof Mellberg
CB Petter Hansson
LB Mikael Dorsin
RM Fredrik Ljungberg
CM Anders Svensson
CM Tobias Linderoth
LM Christian Wilhelmsson
FW Zlatan Ibrahimović
FW Henrik Larsson

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Tags: Euro 2008, football