Euro 2012 Group D: France and England in Pole Position

The meetings of the Group D will be played at Olympic Stadium in Kiev, in the northern Ukraine. Capacity: 70,000 seats. The stadium will host the final of the competition on July 1. The other three games in Group D will be held in Donetsk Donbass Arena in south-eastern Ukraine, 700 km from the capital, Kiev. Capacity: 50,000 seats.

Ukraine, the surprise?

Capital: Kiev. Population: 45.9 million. Area: 603,500 km2. Ukraine, co-hosts of Euro 2012, will play its first game June 11 against Sweden in Kiev. It will then face France on June 15 at Donetsk, and England on June 19 in Donetsk.

Qualifies automatically as host nation, Ukraine has an uphill task to qualify for the next round (quarterfinals), in this group with two great footballing nations, France and England, and formidable Sweden. It remains a little known team and has never starred in a major competition. World in 2006, she reached the quarter-finals and was beaten 3-0 by Italy, which was later to win this year's World Cup.

Her coach, Oleg Blokhin, is a great figure or a legend of the Soviet era when Ukraine was part of the USSR has been successful in the 70-80.Blokhine took control of the selection the first time in 2003, before throwing in the towel in 2008. He will return three years later. He will face injury, because even Shevchenko is uncertain. Only two players for Euro 2012 électionnés move abroad: Germany and Russia.

The European competition is also an opportunity for this country to create a certain unity shaken by political crises, including las sentenced to seven years in prison of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and conditions of his detention. A situation that is causing threats of a boycott by the European Union.

Either that, Ukraine will have enormous difficulties to go beyond the group stage and a surprise dream that an entire nation ...

England, the light at the end of a turbulent year?

England. Capital: London. Population: 51.5 million inhabitants. Area: 131,000 km2.Calendrier: First game against France on June 11 in Donetsk, June 15 against Sweden in Kiev on June 19 against Ukraine in Donetsk. 
England has never won the Euro despite its 8 participations since 1968. She reached the semifinals in 1996 and the quarterfinals in 2004.La selection of Rose won the World Cup in 1966 at home. She reached the semi-finals in 1990 and participated in this global competition 13 times.

England qualified for Euro 2012 by finishing in the top of their group to Montenegro, Switzerland, Wales and Bulgaria. With 18 points for 8 matches played (5 wins and 3 draws, 17 goals scored and five conceded).

The country of Elizabeth II has had a difficult season marked by many disappointments. First, the suspension of his star striker Wayne Rooney last October. It will not play the first two games of the England team, and will field only against Ukraine. Then, the suspension of captain John Terry for racism during an altercation with Anton Ferdinand, the brother of Rio, and the resignation of coach Fabio Capello to four months of the Euro. He was replaced by Roy Hodgson last month. It chose to leave the key Rio Ferdinand, and had in the meantime has to face many packages due to injury, especially Lampard and Barry Cahill.

Note that all 23-man squad for Euro 2012 change in the first League: Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton Tottenham, West Ham particular.

Hodgson, however, opted for a mix of veterans and youngsters. This will not be sufficient to give it the status of favorite. This selection has no doubt the profile of a very serious outsider. No more.

Group A (First part, Second part)

Group B (First part, Second part)

Group C (First part, Second part)