Update Euro 2012 - 'We have made history for Spanish football' - Del Bosque

La Roja became the first team to retain the European Championship and in so doing set a new record by winning three consecutive major tournaments.

And Del Bosque feels that his side's achievements will be remembered for a long time, but admitted they came up against tricky opposition, despite the one-sided score line.

"We had the ball possession and the pressure, and this success of Spanish football is something historical," he stated at a post-match press conference.

"We are talking about a great generation of players. They know how to play because they have come from a country where they learn how to play.

"In football we have done a great job. We have great lads who play abroad and this was impossible before. This is a great era for our football."

Reflecting on the match, Del Bosque went on to say that his side's second goal was critical as it damaged the Italians' morale, but admitted Cesare Prandelli's side suffered from bad luck.

"I would like to that everybody loses sometimes, and the Italians have played a great tournament, and they had the bad luck of the injury to [Thiago] Motta, and that's where it ended unfortunately.

"This match was great, [my players] controlled the game. After we scored the first goal, the Italians were more dangerous, but we reacted well.
"They have given a huge effort. Our first goal damaged them, then the second was definitive. We had a lot of respect for Italy. They have been a tough rival, but we went ahead, maturing in the game."

The Spain coach's tactics had come in for criticism throughout the tournament but he stuck to his guns by choosing not to field a recognized striker, instead selecting Cesc Fabregas as a false nine and he was adamant it was the right decision.
"I did what I thought was best, and nothing else. I dedicate it [the win] to Spanish football and my family, especially. This is for everyone.

"We just played our own game, and there were no external influences. We were faithful to what we've down in the past few years."

Spain won the tournament without their all-time record scorer David Villa and talismanic defender Carles Puyol but Del Bosque insisted they will be present to join in the celebrations.

"I've seen Puyol and Villa and told them to go out and celebrate, they are part of this. They have been very important."

Spain get their qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup underway with a trip to Georgia on September 11.

Source

Future News: Portugal’s plane leaves before Cristiano Ronaldo can board

From Yahoo! Sport - Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to spent a few extra hours in Ukraine after missing Portugal's flight home. The team's captain and leading scorer, who earlier missed the chance to take a penalty in Portugal's Euro 2012 semifinal shootout loss when Spain won before his turn in the order, was left shaking his head and pulling up the legs of his shorts as he watched the plane fly off without him.

"It was just a question of me speaking with the travel planner," said a clearly distraught Ronaldo. "She said to me, 'Do you want to sit in the fifth zone -- in the back of the plane?' and I said 'yes.' Sometimes I sit in the first, the second or the third. I agreed to take the fifth. And then I went to get a Cinnabon and the plane took off without me. It's an injustice. And that Cinnabon gave me indigestion."

Though Portugal manager Paulo Bento realized the mistake only after landing in Lisbon, the plane's captain, Ted Mendes, wasn't upset about the mix-up.

Said Mendes: "If he [Ronaldo] wanted to be sure he was on the plane, he should have boarded sooner. Maybe if he did, he would've sat next to the emergency exit and Bruno Alves wouldn't haven't knocked the door open mid-flight. But then again, maybe not. I'm not a psychic, I'm just a pilot. And a strip club DJ on the weekends."

Ronaldo did eventually catch another flight home and in the end, he said he had only one regret: "Seriously, that Cinnabon was a mistake."

Source

Echoes of 2006: Another Germany-Italy semifinal

KRAKOW, Poland (AP) -- It seems like 2006 all over again.

Just like in the World Cup semifinals six years ago, Germany is the favorite entering Thursday's European Championship game against a surprising Italy squad that is building momentum and maintaining focus despite a match-fixing scandal.

Both teams like to attack constantly, setting up a tantalizing matchup in Warsaw.

''At this point, the squads that win are the ones that advance their defensive lines and that have the courage to attack,'' Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. ''Some of these guys are just starting to realize the extraordinary things they're capable of.''

Adding to the luster is that Italy-Germany matches have often produced the extraordinary - and Italy has always come out on top at major tournaments.

The 4-3 Italy win in the 1970 semifinals in Mexico City is still remembered as one of the greatest World Cup matches, and Italy's 2-0 victory in extra time six years ago in Germany is also part of Azzurri lore.

Veteran Germany forward Miroslav Klose, who just concluded his first season with the Italian club Lazio, attributed his country's troubles in the series to tenseness before big matches.

''The Italians are more easygoing about things,'' Klose said. ''It could be a small advantage for them ahead of such a match.''

In 2006, Italy was also involved in a match-fixing scandal much like the betting problems affecting the squad today. Beating host Germany in the cauldron that is the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund seemed like an impossible task.

''We've improved enormously since 2006,'' said Lukas Podolski, another veteran Germany striker. ''We have a completely different philosophy and a different team. The Italians know this, too.''

Like most modern squads, Germany now attacks in every way, either through 22-year-old winger Thomas Mueller, who led the 2010 World Cup with five goals, counterpart Podolski, playmaker Mesut Oezil or center forwards Mario Gomez and Klose.

Gomez is tied for the tournament lead with three goals.

Of the four semifinalists, Germany is the only squad with a perfect record, having cruised through a group featuring the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark, then easily pushing aside Greece 4-2 in the quarterfinals.

Germany coach Joachim Loew has used both Gomez and Klose as his lone striker, relying on Gomez in the group stage but then going with Klose against Greece. In that match, he changed his entire forward line, with Marco Reus and Andre Schuerrle playing for Mueller and Podolski on the flanks.

''Italy is a completely different caliber than Greece,'' Loew said. ''We may make one or two changes.''

The Azzurri are coming off a draining shootout victory over England and have two fewer days than Germany to prepare for the semifinal.

''We don't have many days to get our energy back,'' Prandelli said. ''It's going to take a lot to beat them, but if we prepare for the match well there are no unbeatable squads.''

Prandelli also has changed his lineup over the last couple matches, with Mario Balotelli and Antonio Di Natale alternating alongside Antonio Cassano in attack.

Di Natale came off the bench and scored Italy's first goal of the tournament against Spain. He started the final group game against Ireland, while Balotelli played all 120 minutes against England and Di Natale never left the bench.

Whoever plays, expect the type of attacking soccer Italy displayed against England, when the Azzurri produced 35 attempts on goal to England's nine, and 20 shots on target to the Three Lions' miserable four.

However, Italy failed to score against England, with Balotelli in particular unable to take advantage of numerous chances.

''We've got to play our match and we've got to take risks, otherwise we're going to allow a goal sooner or later,'' Prandelli said. ''I would prefer allowing a goal in a counterattack than waiting and suffering for 20 minutes.''

Italy's top defender Giorgio Chiellini and key midfielder Daniele De Rossi are battling injuries. The Azzurri also have a problem at right back, with Ignazio Abate struggling with a muscle problem.

''They did not look to me like they were running out of power,'' Loew said. ''Four days should be enough rest for any professional.''

---

AP Sports Writer Nesha Starcevic in Gdansk contributed to this report.

David Beckham left off Great Britain Olympic team

Yahoo Sport! David Beckham’s dream of playing in the Olympic Games has been crushed after Great Britain team manager Stuart Pearce performed a dramatic late U-turn.

Beckham was considered a certainty to play in his home city of London after being confirmed for Team GB’s 35-man preliminary squad last month but was axed from the final group of players, announced on Thursday morning.

“Everyone knows how much playing for my country has always meant to me,” Beckham said. “So I would have been honored to be part of this unique Team GB squad. Naturally I am very disappointed, but there will be no bigger supporter of the team than me. And like everyone, I will be hoping they can win the gold.”

Even members of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games were stunned by Beckham’s omission and will have to drastically rethink their plans, as he was expected to have a dual role as both player and Olympic ambassador. Officials hoped David Beckham would be an ambassador and player for the London Games. (Reuters)

Yahoo! Sports revealed earlier this year that Beckham’s selection was not as automatic as many suspected, with Pearce determined to field as strong a lineup as possible in the Olympic tournament.

Beckham’s struggles early in the season with the Los Angeles Galaxy initially put his place in peril, though a recent resurgence in both his own form and that of the Major League Soccer club appeared to have made him a lock for a place.

As recently as last week Games officials were preparing for Beckham to be involved on the playing side, with Pearce having given no indication to even those in his inner circle that the 37-year-old midfielder would be excluded.

The primary reason Beckham was left out likely centered around young defender Micah Richards of Manchester City, a personal favorite of Pearce, who coached him during his own stint in charge at City.

Richards was surprisingly snubbed by Roy Hodgson, the new coach of the England senior team, when he picked his squad for the ongoing European championships. Protocol dictates that players used during Euro 2012 will not play in the Olympics, in order to give them sufficient rest before the start of the new club season.

With Richards not taking part in matches against Poland and Ukraine, his sudden availability was tantalizing for Pearce, who understands the need to bolster his defensive line if Great Britain is to stand a chance of progressing deep into the tournament.

“As soon as Micah became effectively available it was going to create a problem,” said a source close to Pearce. “But honestly, no one expected Beckham to be the one to miss out.”

The manner in which Beckham’s place was taken away is certain to draw a level of criticism that Pearce has disrespected him. And while Olympic chiefs vowed to keep the decision-making process solely in Pearce’s hands, his choice is expected to provide a significant blow to the already-slow sales of Games soccer tickets.

Beckham played a crucial role in the Olympic bidding process in 2005, when London was awarded the Games ahead of Paris on a dramatic night in Singapore. He will still be part of the Opening Ceremony at Stratford’s Olympic Stadium, but will not get the chance to lead a young GB side in what would have been one of the more emotional experiences of his career.

Olympic soccer rules allow for squads of players aged 23 or under, with three overage players permitted. Richards, 24, and Welsh pair Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy were Pearce’s special picks.

Source

Watch out Messi & Ronaldo: Pirlo is now a real contender for the Ballon d'Or

Stop Andrea Pirlo to stop Italy' has been the modus operandi of the Azzurri’s opponents at Euro 2012, and with good reason. But just as was the case for Juventus' Serie A rivals in 2011-12, it is proving much easier said than done. And with the four-time world champions standing just 90 minutes from a second taste of continental glory, the regista is making the greatest claim imaginable to be crowned the world’s best footballer.

In an age when the bickering between Messi-ites and Ronaldo-ites can sometimes reach a level of utter tedium, Pirlo has delivered some magnificent performances in crucial fixtures to carry both his club and country to important victories. Another mesmerising display against England on Sunday and a man of the match performance in Thursday’s semi-final win over Germany have further strengthened the former AC Milan man’s position as one of the modern game’s very best players.

On the face of it, it wasn’t necessarily a vintage Pirlo effort which helped Italy through to the final as they beat Joachim Low’s side 2-1, but he played no small part in their triumph. On an uneven surface, Pirlo was able to master the conditions perfectly as he turned in another metronomic display in the centre of the park. Germany struggled to maintain position, but Pirlo didn’t.

Again, he laid the platform for the Azzurri on the ball, guiding them around the park from his position at the axis, dictating operations in the unflustered manner to which we have all become so accustomed over the years.

But there has been something more about him in the past 12 months. Back to full fitness after a long lay-off in 2010-11, the midfielder has also been able to show a burning desire, the like of which was arguably missing for a couple of years at the end of his Milan career. He has a real thirst to be the catalyst for everything that is good about Juventus and that has extended into his displays for the national team, too.

At a time when Italian football is castigated at the drop of a hat, admiration of Pirlo is only increasing, and with good reason. But perhaps last night was the greatest proof yet that he is in the running to gatecrash the duopoly of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or race. In a game where massive contributions by Daniele De Rossi, Mario Balotelli and Andrea Barzagli were arguably more worthy of the official man of the match award, it was Pirlo who was deigned the game’s stand-out by the sponsors, proving that he is a man currying favour at the right time.

While league displays are all well and good, it is common practice for the big awards to be reflective of contributions at major international tournaments. Ronaldo (of Brazil) won the Ballon d’Or a decade ago on the strength of his magnificent performances at the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, while Fabio Cannavaro’s story was much the same four years later. Pirlo is now in a great position to follow them, and victory for Italy over Spain on Sunday can surely only strengthen his case.

In the Twitter age in which we now live, it is also notable, studying many a timeline, that Pirlo is receiving increasing praise from the world’s media on a daily basis, and as they hold voting rights in the awarding of the honour, that can only help the midfielder’s case.

The one drawback in his bid to win the Ballon d’Or at the moment is his lack of games at Champions League level, with Juve having missed out on any European involvement last time out. However, by the time the votes are tallied at the end of the year, the Bianconeri will have played in the 2012-13 group stages, meaning a couple more man of the match performances on the continental stage remain a possibility before the year is out.

And if, by then, he is a European champion at national level and a key man in a successful Juventus side making strides in the Champions League, few will even remember that he wasn’t involved in the competition last season. Being the best player in Serie A and the player of the tournament at the Euros in the first half of the year will surely be more than enough to satisfy the doubters as long as next season starts well.

What must also be reiterated is that his contribution for Juve could not have been more crucial. A minnow in the world game they may not be, but they were not on the firm foundations of a Barcelona or Real Madrid when their assault on the Scudetto began. Far from it. Yet Pirlo steered them towards the prize almost single-handedly at times, and with his performances in the national colours matching those at club level, hatfuls of goals against the Granadas and Zaragozas of the world just don’t compare.

So if Italy do topple Spain from their perch as Europe’s best on Sunday, expect their No.21 to follow with a huge prize of his own. In a modern game full of hyperbole, it is delivering on the big stage that really counts, and nobody has done that better than the unstoppable Pirlo so far in 2012.

Source

Germany could not control Italy's midfielders, says Klinsmann

The 47-year-old coach thinks that die Mannschaft were ineffective in the centre of the park, while Oliver Bierhoff stated that there is margin for improvement for the team

A late Mesut Ozil penalty was not enough for Joachim Low's side to turn the match around after Italy had taken a commanding lead lead with two goals from Mario Balotelli during the first half.

The Azzurri were in control of the match for large spells, and Klinsmann, who took charge of Germany between 2004 and 2006, thinks that the Italian midfielders simply ran riot.

"We were able to play in the first half, but then Italy played marvelously in defence in the second half," he told Der Tagesspiegel.

"We lost most tackles in midfield. We could not control Andrea Pirlo, Riccardo Montolivo or Daniele De Rossi. The game was lost in the midfield."
Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff, who had labelled his side favourites against Italy, made no secret of his frustration with the result, but stressed that the quality of the team must not be questioned.

"After such a defeat, you have to be disappointed," the 44-year-old said. "We believed in our target and did not reach it. We were not so pressured that we had to leave as winners.

"The team has room for improvement. We believe in these players. We will learn from this experience."

Germany get back to competitive action with a home clash with the Faroe Islands on September 7.

Source

Euro 2012 Updates - Spain favourites, says Prandelli

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has underlined that his side are underdogs for Sunday’s Euro 2012 final against Spain.

Italy defeated Germany 2-1 in Thursday’s semi-final with Mario Balotelli scoring both goals in the first half.

A late goal from Mesut Ozil was not enough to deny Italy a place in the showpiece decider.

After the match, Prandelli hailed his team’s display, and despite watching his side eliminate one of the heavy favourites for the tournament, he has tipped Spain to retain their European crown.

“In the last 15 minutes, we wasted so many opportunities to make it 3-0, then our players had nothing left and we were forced to defend in the area,” Prandelli told Rai Sport.

“We showed on the field everything we had prepared.

“Spain? They are clearly the favourites in terms of experience and quality, but we will be there to fight.

“We showed today just how much we respect and honour this shirt.”

Sunday’s final is in Kiev where Spain and Italy drew 1-1 when they met in the opening Group C fixture.

Lahm laments back-four lapses

Skipper Philipp Lahm believes that Germany only have themselves to blame for not being in Sunday’s Euro 2012 final.

Two defensive mistakes which striker Mario Balotelli capitalised on, proved costly in their 2-1 loss to Italy in Thursday’s second semi-final.

Germany were billed as tournament favourites throughout the championship and boasted a 100 per cent record heading into the last four, but came up against a Balotelli-inspired Italian side, who will now face Spain for the right to be crowned European champions.

Lahm, who was partially responsible for the second goal when he played Balotelli onside from a long ball, paid for his error as the maverick striker hit an unstoppable shot past Manuel Neuer to add to his earlier header.

The first goal also came after poor play from defensive duo Mats Hummels and Holger Badstuber and Bayern Munich full-back Lahm feels that the whole defensive unit was at fault.

“This is very bitter. We made dumb errors and conceded our goals. It is bitter because our team have so much potential,” Lahm said.

He also reflected on his early second-half miss as a turning point in the game.

With Italy 2-0 up, the 28-year-old shot over after engineering a clear-cut chance and despite Mesut Ozil’s last-minute penalty, the Germans could not complete the comeback.

“In the second half, we gave our best efforts,” Lahm said.

“But we scored too late. I also had a great chance, but it wasn’t enough. If you are behind against Italy and have no luck, it is bad.”

Young midfielder Toni Kroos also bemoaned his side’s poor defending but refuted claims that the Italians had played better.

Kroos told ARD : “Both goals were easily defendable. But at the end it was not enough. We did not play worse than Italy and we had a lot of chances, especially in the first half.”

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff, meanwhile, admitted that the contest was over for his side by half-time, but has remained optimistic for the future.

“We blew it in the first half,” he told reporters.

“We presented the Italians with the chances and did too little ourselves. Aside from the beginning of the second half we weren’t convincing enough.

“The team have a lot of potential to grow, though. We believe in the young players. They will take this as a learning experience.”

Source

Juventus Updates - Marotta praises priceless Pirlo

Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has praised Andrea Pirlo, saying that it is impossible to put a price on the Italy regista.

The 33-year-old has played a leading role in their Euro 2012 campaign, racking up one goal and two assists so far, and was named man of the match in the team’s 2-1 victory against Germany on Thursday.

Such performances have followed up a fine domestic season, where Pirlo helped Juve to their first Scudetto since 2002-03, and Marotta hailed the impact the midfielder has made.

“Pirlo has been amazing, I think he is the best signing of my career,” he told Rai Sport.

“The circumstances were favourable for us to land him, just like when Sampdoria signed Antonio Cassano.

“An improved contract? He is a great professional, so that is just trivial. The most important thing is that he continues to make the difference.

“How much he is worth? Players like him are priceless.”