EURO 2008

[Corner of Dub]

Go Italy, Go Germany !!!!

[gunosantos]

As a five-time world cup champ, and birth place of such talents as Pelé's and Ronaldo's, I feel like I have the right to give my impressions of who's playing the best 'futebol' so far in the Euro 2008...

Without any doubt, holland is been showing a wonderful display, the greatest team to watch without any doubt...

They have great players such as Nistelroy and Sneijder, a great keeper (Van der Sar), and also a great coach (Van Basten)... I really like the way the team plays, extremely balanced between defence and attack, with a deadly counter attack. They make every move look simple, and that's the beauty in soccer.

But I wouldn't forget about Portugal, with great players like Deco and Moutinho, and Cristiano Ronaldo in top shape. He is the only guy I know in this euro who can decide a game in one move, even alone. For sure the most talented one nowadays.

Besides all that, imo Portugal has got the greatest coachh/manager in the world today: Felipão (for us brazilians, or Scolari for most of the world (or even "Big Phil" as I heard he's called in England). Scolari started to gain the world and build his great carrer at Gremio (my team ), in 1994. In 1995, with a bunch of discredited players, and a great goalscorer (Jardel), we went on to win the Copa Libertadores and we lost the world title to Ajax in tokyo at the end of that year.

So you should never understimate Scolari's team, even more when he's got talented players under his control. I guess chelsea fans must be delighted...

So, IMO the greatest title contenders this year are Holland and Portugal.

But you should always respect the tradition of great squads as the Azzura and the Germans. Shame on spain, who once again has got great players, went fine thru the groups stage, but always bow went it comes the final stages...

[Survival]

Italy didn't play so good like some state, 'cause if there wasn't a penalty and the red card for France, they would have had a VERY tough time during the match. Scoring only 1 goal after the penalty while France is playing with 10?
That is not so good..
Anyway, a great match tonight, Germany - Portugal, I think Portugal wins.
And Holland has to compete against Russia in the quarter finals.

[pf]

'cause if there wasn't a penalty and the red card for France, they would have had a VERY tough time during the match. Scoring only 1 goal after the penalty while France is playing with 10?
That is not so good..

and the penalty was not such, he let himself fall. And the other goal was just lucky as it hit on a French player

[gunosantos]

@Taco B: Yes, really those were the good days, but you know that if it wasn't for that red card for our defender in the beggining of the second half, things could have been different...

But I have to admmit that Ajax had a great team (practically the whole Holland squad at the time), with De Boer brothers, and Kluivert and Overmars at the peak of their game.

But I cannot complain, as we went too far with that team without even one player from our national squad... Last year we went once again to the Copa Libertadores final match (same as the Champions League for Europeans) and lost to Boca Jrs, and then this year we didn't even enter the contest... tough times!!!

But back to Euro 2008, really really excited for this upcoming match between Portugal x Germany. Really hope that Portugal wins and if I had to put my money, I would certainly bet on Scolari's team.

Also agree that Italy didn't play that well against france, and sorry for the french, but either way this team couldn't go any further as it's got only veteran players at the end of their carreer (except for Rybery)...

[Guest]

Survival wrote : 'cause if there wasn't a penalty and the red card for France, they would have had a VERY tough time during the match. Scoring only 1 goal after the penalty while France is playing with 10?
That is not so good..


and the penalty was not such, he let himself fall. And the other goal was just lucky as it hit on a French player

[Corner of Dub]

Go Germany, Go Italy !!!!

[Taco B]

What a game yesterday evening! Germany played very well (in a style similar to Holland) and Portugal looked poor in defense. Two goals from a identical free-kick situation is not good at all. Hoping for a Holland - Germany final now.

[ital kemar]

hi taco. both teams looked dodgy in defence. portugal could have had a bag full of goals. the saying 'attack is the best form of defence' rings true here. germany invited portugal into their half and then struggled to cope with the pressure. germany are very good going forward, and had they maintained the pressure they had on portugal i think they would have scored more. the competition is really hotting up now. looking forward to the spanish and dutch games. torres has yet to shine, but i think the stage is set for him against the italians this weekend. i'd go for croatia, holland and spain for the 3 remaining semi final spots. but you never know........

ital kemar

[Taco B]

Germany was under a lot of pressure in the second half but then scored that important third goal. Overall they deserved to win I guess, Portugal quite disapointed me.

Interesting games coming up: tonight Croatia will probably win. Or maybe Turkey will pull another stunt and all the Turkish people in Holland will go completely crazy again. They sure now how to celebrate a victory I tell you.

Holland - Russia: Russia has got absolutley nothing to lose and Hiddink is a master in narrow escapes (and he knows the Dutch team inside out). Still we will win.


Spain - Italy: Torres versus Toni. I put my money on Torres.

And in the end you never know, that makes this tournament so exciting to watch.