Euro 2012 Group C

10 June 2012
Spain v Italy 17:00
Republic of Ireland v Croatia 19:45
14 June 2012
Italy v Croatia 17:00
Spain v Republic of Ireland 19:45
18 June 2012
Croatia v Spain 19:45
Italy v Republic of Ireland 19:45

My Predictions

Spain 1-1 Italy
Republic of Ireland 1-1 Croatia
Italy 2-1 Croatia
Spain 3-1 Republic of Ireland
Croatia 1-2 Spain
Italy 0-0 Republic of Ireland

Spain and Italy go through!

I pray you're correct!

Another 0-0 draw for Trap's Ireland last night, is it just me or do they never concede? Or score, for that matter? Would be best for the Azzurri if the Ireland-Croatia match ends a draw.

Spain to finish as group winners. I pick the Azzurri to go through with them but Ireland and Croatia will have their say. As FI said, the Irish rarely concede and if they can get the three points against the Croats and the Azzurri were to lose to Spain, they will fancy their chances. Likewise for Croatia, if they beat the Irish, they will fancy their chances. Italy had the best defence in the qualifiers but if they defend anything like they did against Russia, they might as well pack their bags now.

Oh please no!
Giorgio Chiellini says a three-man defence which includes Daniele De Rossi could work for Italy at Euro 2012.

Probable line-ups

Spain (4-2-3-1):Casillas; Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Piquè, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Xabi Alonso; Silva, Xavi, Iniesta; Torres

Italy (3-5-2):Buffon; Bonucci, De Rossi, Chiellini; Maggio, Thiago Motta, Pirlo, Marchisio, Giaccherini; Cassano, Balotelli

Ref: Kassai (Hun)

Fingers crossed guys! Not expecting much though

I feel same for bot Italy and England FI

Spain: Casillas; Arbeloa, Piquè, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Xabi Alonso; Silva, Fabregas, Iniesta

Spain bench: Victor Valdes, Reina, Raul Albiol, Javi Martinez, Juanfran, Santi Cazorla, Jesus Navas, Pedro Rodriguez, Torres, Negredo, Juan Mata, Llorente

Italy: Buffon; Bonucci, De Rossi, Chiellini; Maggio, Thiago Motta, Pirlo, Marchisio, Giaccherini; Cassano, Balotelli

Italy bench: Sirigu, De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Balzaretti, Abate, Barzagli, Montolivo, Diamanti, Nocerino, Di Natale, Borini, Giovinco

Ref: Kassai (Hun)

Hope to see Giovinco if things aren't going to plan.

Spain playing with no striker, could be interesting. Although if it needs changing they've got Torres, Llorente etc on the bench.

With the midfielders Spain have got, they can afford to leave a striker out and play someone like Cesc in a false 9 role.

Impressed so far. However, Mario has to watch his step after being booked.

De Rossi has looked ok at the back and Giaccherini has been great considering this is his first game for Italy

Full Time
Spain 1-1 Italy

Di Natale (61), Fabregas (64)

good performance all in all.

Do yellow cards expire at te end of te group stages.

Half Time

Ireland 1-2 Croatia
Scorers: Mandzukic 3 (C), Corluka 19 (I), Jelavic 43 (C)

Good result for the Azzurri, happy with that. When Spain equalised so quickly I was thinking they'd go on to win, so definitely take a point.

Good performance too, DDR was AWESOME. Out of position as well. Not a clue what Balotelli was thinking when he went through on goal, was like he had stage fright. Toto came on to show him how it's done.

Caught the second half of the Ireland game, they didn't do too bad but Croatia were technically a lot better.

Jose Mourinho has praised the defensive performance of Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi during Italy’s 1-1 draw with Spain.
De Rossi was great,” the Real Madrid tactician noted. “He was definitely one of the best Italians in that game. "I think that the Azzurri could go far in this competition.”
“Spain’s error was giving Andrea Pirlo too much space because he is a player who always creates problems for the opposition,” Mourinho continued. “Spain also decided to start without a striker and their offensive play up there was sterile as a result. “The combinations between Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas are useless if you don’t put Gigi Buffon in any kind of trouble.”

Pirlo's run and pass for Toto Di Natale was sensational. Love how at his age he can still effortlessly glide past players.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/fashion-beauty/Activists+angry+over+Cassano+comments/6770675/story.html

Gotta love Cassano he'd have been better keeping his mouth shut in this case, though.

Official line-ups

Italy: Buffon; Bonucci, De Rossi, Chiellini; Maggio, Motta, Pirlo, Marchisio, Giaccherini; Cassano, Balotelli

Croatia: Pletikosa; Srna, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic; Rakitic, Vukojevic, Perisic; Modric; Jelavic, Mandzukic

Forza Azzurri! Win this one and it's a massive step towards qualification. Won't be easy though, gonna need another good performance.

Yes, wish he'd put di Natale in.

Italy have started well, Balotelli looking good