Euro 2012: "The Group of Death"

The group matches will be played in Ukraine, in Lviv Arena (ouset the country, 540 km from Kiev, the capital), and having a capacity of 30,000 seats. Metalist Kharkiv and Stadium, located in north-west of Ukraine, 480 km from Kiev, with a capacity of 39,000 seats.

Germany. Capital: Berlin. Population: 81, 9 million. Area: 356,959 km2. It will play its first group match of Group B on June 9 against Portugal (Lviv), before facing the Netherlands on June 13 (Kharkiv) and Denmark on June 17 in Lviv.

Germany (photo) appears as the favorite in this group, with the Netherlands, Portugal with the outsider status. The Germans flew over the qualifying phase, with 27 points to 9 wins, 1 loss and 0 draw, scoring 37 goals against 8 conceded, ahead of Turkey, Belgium, Austria, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

Germany won the World Cup three times (1954, 1974 and 1990). She finished in 2nd place in 1966, 1982, 1986 and 2002), and third in 1934, 1970, 2006 and 2010. The Maanschaft won the Euro 3 times (1972, 1980 and 1996), and finished in 2nd place in 1976, 1992 and 2008.

But it is not as if those years depuis1996.Même helped bring to maturity a generation of amazing talent, especially Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Neueur in goal, Ozil, and Khedera Muller and Gomez in the middle attack.

Joachim Low, appointed head of the German team in 2006, has transformed this team by step. And this is the first place fois.A noted that only 5 of the 23 players selected to move abroad: England, Spain and Italy.

Denmark: how to repeat the feat of 1992?

Denmark. Capital: Copenhagen. Population: 5.5 million. Area: 43,098 km2. Calendar: First game June 9 against the Netherlands (Kharkiv). Then against Portugal on June 13 (Lviv) and Germany on June 17 (Lviv).

Denmark had created a sensation by winning the Euro in 1992.Il had actually been drafted at the last minute after the exclusion of Yugoslavia, during the war in the Balkans. Selection of Danish time had very good players like striker Brian Laudrup and goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel.

The Danes have qualified for Euro 2012 by winning their group with 19 points for six wins, one draw and one defeat, 15 goals scored and 6 conceded. Ahead of Portugal, Norway, Iceland and Cyprus.

Their coach, Morten Olsen, has served since 2000, and led the Nordic country in eighth-finals at 2002 World Cup, and Euro 2004 quarter. But danemerk do not qualify for the World Cup 2006 and 2010, nor for Euro 2008.Without large pool of players, he can not afford to lose an element of injury.

Anyway, it will be difficult or impossible to go to the next round in this group called "death". Let alone repeat the feat in 1992!

Group A (first part, second part)