Football Reviews and Gossips: EURO 2012

Germany play-maker Bastian Schweinsteiger has picked defending champions Spain as the team to beat at Euro 2012.

Close to full recovery after suffering a calf injury during Germany's final friendly match against Israel, Schweinsteiger is expected to play an integral part of Coach Joachim Low's plans at Euro 2012. Although the Germans have been tipped to wrest the trophy from Spain, the Bayern Munich midfielder still considers the World and European champions as favorites for this edition of the tournament.

"For me Spain are the best team. Spain give fans and the rival team the permanent sensation of having an extra man on the pitch," Schweinsteiger shared with AS.

"However, those kind of teams aren't invincible."

Germany lost to the Del Bosque’s men in the final of Euro 2008. Despite his pick for this year's competition, the 27 has fired a warning to their rivals that the German squad are looking to
cause an upset.

"The young players have given a special self-confidence to the team [the German squad], while the fighting spirit and the will remains intact. We also have more quality now," he said.

"Now we are more flexible and we are faster."

Croatia overcame Turkey to take their place in Euro’12 at Poland and Ukraine, sweet revenge against a team that dramatically denied Slaven Bilić's team in the UEFA EURO 2008 quarter-finals.

Croatia seemed to have not so much a foot but both feet in the UEFA EURO 2008 semi-finals after Ivan Klasnić's 119th-minute opener against Turkey, yet coach Slaven Bilić had barely returned to the bench after the wild celebrations that ensued when Semih Şentürk scored a dramatic equaliser. With fate at its most capricious, Turkey prevailed on spot kicks; Croatia went home chastened, the hangover lasting throughout 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying as they finished third behind England and Ukraine. Second to Greece this time around, their reward was a rematch with Turkey in the play-offs – and revenge was sweet.

Making his first competitive start in 13 months, Ivica Olić struck after two minutes in Istanbul as Croatia claimed what proved an unassailable 3-0 first-leg lead over Turkey in the play-offs. "Thank God it's over – we made it," Bilić said after the second leg against Turkey. "After everything we went through in qualifying we are back where we belong: at EURO."

With Group F leaders Greece trailing 1-0 to Georgia, Croatia were 11 minutes from automatic qualification before goals from Giorgos Fotakis and Angelos Charisteas turned things round.

Croatia's 2-1 victory over Georgia in June was the 200th game in their 21-year history as an independent nation. Their first match, against the United States in 1990, also ended 2-1.

EURO pedigree

Croatia have qualified for four out of five tournaments since the break-up of Yugoslavia, their only failure coming in 2000. Inspired by three-goal Davor Šuker, Miroslav Blažević's 1996 vintage reached the last eight in their maiden finals appearance, before defeat against Germany.

Eliminated after the group stage in 2004, four years later they won three out of three, including a 2-1 victory against Germany. The semi-finals beckoned before Turkey's last-gasp equaliser and then penalties.

Croatia contributed players to the Yugoslavia team that twice finished runners-up at the UEFA European Championship, losing the inaugural showpiece 2-1 in extra time against the Soviet Union in 1960 and going down 2-0 to hosts Italy in a final replay eight years later.

Croatia’s Past Euro Performances

Best EURO performance: quarter-finals 1996, 2008.
Coach: Slaven Bilić.
Leading scorer: all-time – Davor Šuker (45); current – Eduardo (22).
Most appearances: all-time – Dario Šimić (100); current – Josip Šimunić (92).
Association formed: 1912.
Nickname: Kockasti (Checks).

Team EURO records

Overall: P63 W39 D14 L10 F112 A47
Final tournament: P11 W5 D3 L3 F14 A13
Qualifying: P52 W34 D11 L7 F98 A34

UEFA EURO 2012 Group C fixtures

Sunday 10 June: Republic of Ireland v Croatia, 20.45CET, Poznan
Thursday 14 June: Italy v Croatia, 18.00CET, Poznan
Monday 18 June: Croatia v Spain, 20.45CET, Gdansk