Spain
How they qualified: Finished 1st in European Qualifying Group I (Perfect Record)
Team Base: Gniewino
No David Villa and no Carlos Puyol would normally seem like two major losses to any footballing side. Spain however have so much strength in depth that these two superstars could go unmissed.
Fernando Torres will look to forget about the woes of the last 18-months and he and Athletic Bilbao’s Fernando Llorente will be in charge of finding the majority of the goals for the reigning European and World Cup champions, while David Silva Juan Mata, Andreas Iniesta and Xavi will, as usual, be providing the skill, touch and class of Spain’s tici-taca football.
With a solid defense lead by Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos, and one of the worlds best goalkeepers behind them Spain have all the depth and quality they need to continue their international football dynasty.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-2-1-3
Casillas
Arbeloa - Ramos - Pique - Alba
Busquets - Xabi Alonso
Mata - Xavi - Iniesta
Torres
WFD predicted group finish: 1st
Spain Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 10 v Italy - PGE Arena, Gdansk (18:00)
Match 2: June 14 v Republic of Ireland - PGE Arena, Gdansk (20:45)
Match 3: June 18 v Croatia - PGE Arena, Gdansk (20:45)
Italy
How they qualified: Finished 1st in European Qualifying Group C
Team Base: Krakow
There’s one important thing to remember about major international tournaments.
Never count out the Italians.
While another match fixing scandal begins to tear its way through Serie A Italy will find it difficult to hide from the media spotlight that will engulf them during this summer’s tournament.
The last time a major scandal hit Italy’s top flight though was 2006, a year when Italy went on to lift the World Cup in Germany, and many may underestimate the focus and ability of this Italian side because of the distraction of the media circus.
There have been casualties in the side because of it, with Domenico Criscito dumped out of Cesare Prandelli’s side, while Gianluigi Buffon, the sides long term goalkeeper, is being investigated by the authorities after being implicated in the scandal too, although Buffon is still traveling with the side to Poland and the Ukraine.
There’s still enough quality in the Italy side to mount a realistic charge against any and all opposition and they could find their way out of the group with ease along with Spain.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-1-2-1-2
Buffon
Maggio - Barzagli - Chiellini - Balzaretti
Pirlo
Marchisio - De Rossi
Motta
Cassano - Balotelli
WFD predicted group finish: 2nd
Italy Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 10 v Spain - PGE Arena, Gdansk (18:00)
Match 2: June 14 v Croatia - Municipal Stadium, Poznan (18:00)
Match 3: June 18 v Republic of Ireland - Municipal Stadium, Poznan (20:45)
Republic of Ireland
How they qualified: Finished 2nd in European Qualifying Group B; defeated Estonia 5-1 on aggregate in playoff.
Team Base: Sopot
We all know about the luck of the Irish, but Giovanni Trapattoni may need more then just luck to get his Republic of Ireland side out of a difficult group C and into the competitions quarterfinals.
Talisman Robbie Keane has had an indifferent start to the MLS season but he always seems to be able to produce the goods when pulling on the colours of his national side. The LA Galaxy striker scored seven goals in the 11 qualifying games he played in which was almost half the total goal tally of the team.
Alongside him up front will be either Kevin Doyle, of Wolverhampton Wanderers, or West Bromwich Albion’s Shane Long. Long has had a positive first season in the Premiership with the Baggies but injuries and the form of Peter Odewingie and Mark Antoine-Fortune have prevented the former Reading player from securing a place in the starting eleven, while Doyle has struggled to find goals or service in a very shoddy Wolves side.
The reliance on Keane to be the goal provider could hinder an ageing Irish squad while veterans Shay Given and Richard Dunne will be called on heavily to hold the defensive line.
A win in their opening game against Croatia will give them a fighting chance, but Ireland more then likely be on the first plane home after the group stages.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-4-2
Given
O’Shea - Dunne - St Ledger - Ward
McGready - Whelan - Andrews - Duff
Doyle - Keane
WFD predicted group finish: 4th
Republic of Ireland Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 10 v Croatia - Municipal Stadium, Poznan (20:45)
Match 2: June 14 v Spain - PGE Arena, Gdansk (20:45)
Match 3: June 18 v Italy - Municipal Stadium, Poznan (20:45)
Croatia
How they qualified: Finished 2nd in European Qualifying Group F; defeated Turkey 3-0 on aggregate in playoff.
Team Base: Warka
A side that shocked the world in World Cup 98 and has made two quarterfinals appearances in it’s four possible European Championships, Croatia may be a young footballing nation, but it knows how to find success.
Their recent form however, has led to a number of questions being asked about how mentally prepared Slaven Bilic and his side are.
Bilic has received a lot of criticism about how his side faired in the qualifying stages and, with this summers tournament being his last, some feel he will not be able to motivate a side that knows they will be under new leadership next year.
The old guard though are ready to step up to what could be their final challenge, and with stars like Luka Modric and Darijo Srna ready to fight for the cause, Croatia have enough ability to cause a shock upset and get through the group stage.
The loss of Ivica Olic is a major loss to the side’s firepower but Everton’s Nikica Jelavic is more then capable of picking up the slack.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-4-2
Pletikosa
Corluka - Vida - Simunic - Pranjic
Srna - Modric - Dujmovic - Rakitic
Jelavic - Mandzukic
WFD predicted group finish: 3rd
Croatia Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 10 v Republic of Ireland - Municipal Stadium, Poznan (20:45)
Match 2: June 14 v Italy - Municipal Stadium, Poznan (18:00)
Match 3: June 18 v Spain - PGE Arena, Gdansk (20:45)
Stadiums:
Poznan Municipal Stadium
Capacity: 43,269
The home of Lech and Warta Poznan, City Stadium is the birthplace of the famous goal celebration that Manchester City fans have made their own at the Etihad Stadium.
It’s the only stadium in the tournament to have a fully retractable roof and that combined with the unique atmosphere that could easily be adopted by Europe’s nosiest fans will create a bubbling atmosphere for fans and onlookers to enjoy.
Situated on the outskirts of Poznan the stadium also is home to the two biggest screens in Poland, each made up of 120 smaller LED screens.
Games: (All times are local)
Republic of Ireland v Croatia June 10th (20:45)
Italy v Croatia June 14th (18:00)
Italy v Republic of Ireland June 18th (20:45)
PGE Arena, Gdansk
Capacity: 43,615
Based in northern Poland and home to Lechia Gdansk the PGE arena is a shrine to the regions natural resources.
Decorated in amber plating on its outer shell to show the vast natural copper mines scattered across the region, the inside of the ground it boasts 40 VIP boxes, a pub, a restaurant and some of the steepest stands in the world, that help provide some of the finest viewing available in football.
The ground was opened in 2011 and has hosted a number of games for both Lechia Gadansk and the national side, including Poland v Germany.
Games: (All times are local)
Spain v Italy June 10th (18:00)
Spain v Republic of Ireland June 14th (20:45)
Croatia v Spain June 18th (20:45)
Quarterfinal #2
Winner of Group B v Runner-up of Group A June 22nd (20:45)
World Football Daily
