Euro 2012 Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal

[Darkon]

Legend
Pl: Games played, W: Won, D: Drawn, L: Lost, F: Goals For, A: Goals Against, GD: Goal difference, Pts: Points

Matches

9 June 2012
18.00: Netherlands 0 Denmark 1
Stadium: Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (UKR)

20.45: Germany 1 Portugal 0
Stadium: Arena Lviv, Lviv (UKR)


13 June 2012
18.00: Denmark 2 Portugal 3
Stadium: Arena Lviv, Lviv (UKR)

20.45: Netherlands 1 Germany 2
Stadium: Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (UKR)


17 June 2012
20.45: Portugal v Netherlands 2-1
Stadium: Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (UKR)

20.45: Denmark v Germany 1-2
Stadium: Arena Lviv, Lviv (UKR)

[Darkon]

Netherland Team Profile



Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Michel Vorm (Swansea), Tim Krul (Newcastle).

Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Jetro Willems (PSV Eindhoven).

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Lisbon), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham).

Forwards: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Luciano Narsingh (Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).

Likely formation and lineup:



STAR MAN

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had to settle for a place on the bench at the 2010 World Cup, but the Schalke striker pressed his claims for a regular starting spot with a red-hot 12 goals in eight qualifiers. While 'The Hunter' filled his boots against minnows San Marino, scoring five times in total, he also netted in both matches against Group E runners-up Sweden.

The 28-year-old has regained confidence following a permanent move to Schalke from Real Madrid.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk's preference is for a 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning there is only one striking spot up for grabs - which, in turn, means either Huntelaar or Robin van Persie could miss out. Hard to imagine, given the Arsenal striker's searing form.

Huntelaar started the first four qualifiers before picking up a knee injury which ruled him out of the double header against Hungary. Van Persie netted in both games against the Hungarians and kept his place for June's glamour friendly against Brazil, prompting Huntelaar to ask for "a little more faith" from Van Marwijk. Perhaps a tactical change is on the cards.

Manager

Bert van Marwijk succeeded Marco van Basten after Euro 2008 and oversaw Holland's flawless qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

He led his side to the final in South Africa, masterminding wins against Brazil and Uruguay, but Holland's robust approach in the defeat to Spain earned Van Marwijk plenty of criticism, with Johan Cruyff branding the Dutch display "anti-football".
Bert van Marwijk

Van Marwijk's contract with the Dutch expires next summer

A midfielder capped once by Holland, his biggest success as a club manager was winning the 2002 Uefa Cup with Feyenoord.

Record at the Euro's:

Won silver once, otherwise only qualified for second round.

Fifa World Ranking 4

[Darkon]

Denmark Team Profile



Goalkeepers: Stephan Andersen (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United), Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City).

Defenders: Lars Jacobsen (FC Kobenhavn), Daniel Wass (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Daniel Agger (Liverpool), Simon Kjær (AS Roma), Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjælland), Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar), Jores Okore (Nordsjælland).

Midfielders: Christian Poulsen (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland), William Kvist (FC Nürnberg), Niki Zimling (Club Brugge), Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Christian Eriksen (Ajax), Michael Silberbauer (BSC Young Boys), Lasse Schone (NEC Nijmegen).

Forwards: Dennis Rommedahl (Brondby IF), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal), Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby IF), Tobias Mikkelsen (FC Nordsjælland), Nicklas Pedersen (FC Groningen).

Likely formation and lineup:



STAR MAN

Christian Eriksen was the youngest player at the 2010 World Cup, but the 18-year-old was restricted to two substitute appearances, spending a total of 44 minutes on the pitch. However, it is hard to imagine the Ajax player will be a peripheral figure at Euro 2012.

In the last 18 months the attacking midfielder has established himself as first-choice for club and country. Often compared to Denmark great Michael Laudrup, former Ajax manager Martin Jol has likened Eriksen to Dutch stars Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart.

Eriksen had two trials with Chelsea before joining Ajax in 2008. However, the Blues felt he was not strong enough for the Premier League, according to the player's father, who feels his son would be better suited to Spanish football. Eriksen is contracted to Ajax until 2014 and has indicated he is unlikely to leave before then.

Manager

Morten Olsen guided the Danes to the knock-out stages of both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. But since then results have been mixed; Olsen's side failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008, then were unable to advance beyond the group stage in South Africa despite a benign draw.

A defensive midfielder who won over 100 caps, Olsen said last year that he feels former assistant Michael Laudrup should succeed him as Danish boss.

Record at the Euro's:

Denmark won the tournament in 1992 after failing to qualify, but was later entered in the tournament when civil war broke out in the former Yugoslavia. Since then Denmark have been at all but one Euro tournament.

Fifa World Ranking 10

[Darkon]

Germany Team Profile



Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96).

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Howedes (FC Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Marco Reus (VfL Borussia Monchengladbach), Andre Schurrle (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund).

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (FC Koln).

Likely formation and lineup:



STAR MAN

Relatively unknown to the masses before the 2010 World Cup, Mesut Ozil exploded onto the international scene with a series of eye-catching displays in South Africa as Germany played some of their most offensive football in memory.

After being nominated for the Golden Ball Award - given to the tournament's best player - the 23-year-old 'Number 10' soon moved from Werder Bremen to Spanish giants Real Madrid. He racked up seven assists in the qualifying campaign.

Manager

Always dapper, Joachim Loew burst into the limelight as Jurgen Klinsmann's assistant at the 2006 World Cup. 'Jogi' was seen as the tactical genius behind the scenes as Germany thrilled their fans with a new brand of attacking football.

He continued that philosophy four years later in South Africa, and showed he is not afraid to make a tough decision by dropping Michael Ballack for Euro 2012 qualification in order to bring through younger talent. Has a contract until 2014.

Record at the Euro's:

Germany have won the tournament 3 times in 1954, 1974, and 1990, and have been in another 4 finals.

Fifa World Ranking 2

[Darkon]

Portugal Team Profile



Goalkeepers: Eduardo (Benfica), Rui Patrício (Sporting), Beto (CFR Cluj).

Defenders: João Pereira (Sporting), Fábio Coentrão (Real Madrid), Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg), Rolando (Porto), Ricardo Costa (Valencia), Pepe (Real Madrid), Miguel Lopes (Braga).

Midfielders: Raúl Meireles (Chelsea), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), João Moutinho (Porto), Rúben Micael (Real Zaragoza), Hugo Viana (Braga), Custódio (Braga).

Forwards: Nani (Manchester United), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas), Silvestre Varela (Porto), Hélder Postiga (Real Zaragoza), Nélson Oliveira (Benfica).

Likely formation and lineup:



STAR MAN

No introduction needed for Cristiano Ronaldo - only Lionel Messi can claim to be as good as the Real Madrid phenomenon. Officially the second-best player in the world - behind Barcelona's Argentine magician - Ronaldo has it all: pace, power, dribbling, heading, shooting, vision, passion.

Ronaldo demands the limelight on the biggest stage possible, just as he did for Manchester United. Has now scored an outrageous 112 goals in 102 league games in two years in Spain, and led exultant Madrid to the La Liga title this season as they finally got the better of Barcelona. Boss Jose Mourinho insists he should win the Ballon D'Or.

Manager

Paulo Bento took over as Portuguese coach in 2010, just six years after retiring as a player. Now 42, Bento was suspended for five months - along with Abel Xavier and Nuno Gomes - due to bad behaviour in the Euro 2000 semi-final loss to France. Amid great success with Sporting Lisbon, in 2008 he was linked with becoming Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's new assistant.

Record at the Euro's:

Present in the tournament 5 times, reaching the final once on home-turf in 2004, but lost the game to surprise winners Greece.

Fifa World Ranking 5

[Darkon]

Crazy group this one with 4 teams in top 10 on Fifa's ranking And number 2,3,4,7 within Europe! Should be in for some good game here!

[Muddled]

This is defo the 'Group of Death'.

[red g]

I think Portugal could spring a surprise in this group.

Ps great work Darkon

[Shaggy]

What a great group

[colin85]

Just 3 forwards for Germany?
I think Germany might just go on and win it. Which nation does sahin play for, Germany or turkey?

[danperkins]

That German midfield has the possibility in a few years of being one of the best midfields in the world. IMO germany will be a dominant force in the next few years. Whether or not they have the experience to win this tournament i'm not so sure, but a super team regardless.

Fabulous group Holland have some side too.

[Darkon]

Just 3 forwards for Germany?
I think Germany might just go on and win it. Which nation does sahin play for, Germany or turkey?

Germany, but he has been injured for a long time. He was great just before he moved to Real though!

[Darkon]

This is a though group to predict, but surely Netherlands and Germany must be favorites against to strong 3rd and 4th seeds. Denmark beat Portugal to first place in the qual, so hard to say who is best in terms of staging and upset.

At least Denmark can play freely with no expectations. Eriksens moment to shine perhaps

[Alex]

Plus Daniel Agger is Boss

[colin85]

I predict

Germany
Holland
Portgual
Denmark