Euro 2012 predictions part 1

Only one day left until kick-off inn Warsaw. Host Poland plays Greece in the opening match in Warsaw. That means it is time to make some predictions for the tournament. Who will become European Champions, top goalscorer, whom will be the new big star in European football, which team will be the big surprise and which will be the big disappointment. And will we be talking about football or racism after the Euros?

Let's start with the racism. The last weeks Europe has been talking about the BBC documentary Stadiums of Hate. A documentary showing the bad parts of the football culture in Poland and Ukraine. "Fans" doing Nazi salute at matches and making monkey noises to black players. Not what we want to see at football stadiums, but I can't say I am shocked. The political environment in parts of East-Europe has become gradually browner the last years. In Hungary etc. we find Jobbik as one of the biggest political parties, they even got three members in the European Parliament. Jobbik is a right wing radical nationalist party with close connection to Magyar Garda, a paramilitary organization. So I am afraid we will read more about, and talk more about, racism than football during and afterwards this tournament, unfortunately. I also think UEFA has handled this topic in a bad manner. Saying black players can be facing disciplinary reactions leaving the pitch during a match if they are

But this is the European Championship, and it is football that is what it should be all about. Therefore I'm going to give you my predictions for Euro 2012. I will look at the groups and predict the outcome of them and every match. And I'll do the same with the Quarter-, Semi-finals and the Final.

Group A consists of co-host Poland, Russia, Czech Republic and Greece. I think we'll see Russia as winners of the group ahead of Poland; hence Czech Republic and 2004 winners Greece will have to say good-bye after the group stage. So why do I think we'll see Russia and Poland through group A? I'll start with Poland, and I'll give you one name: Robert Lewandowski. The 23 year old Dortmund striker is a quality player I believe can take Poland through the group stage by his own, and he might even be the top scorer in Euro 2012. Though I think there will be someone else scoring more goals... When it comes to why I believe Russia will win group A it is just because I think they are having the best squad in the group. With players like Akinfeev, Anyukov, Zhirkov, Denisov, Dzagoev and Arshavin (yes, I do think we'll see a different Arshavin than we saw in Arsenal) they should be the best team in group A.

Group A kicks off the whole tournament at Friday at 18:00 CET in Warsaw with the match between Poland and Greece. I think we'll see an 1-0 win for Poland in this match after an early goal from the previous mentioned Lewandowski. In the second match at Friday Russia is playing Czech Republic. A match that will give us more goals than the opening encounter. My guess is a 3-1 win for Russia in the match refereed by Howard Webb. And who will score the goals? Dzagoev, Shirokov and Kerzhakov for Russia, and for Czech Republic I think Leverkusen defender Michal Kadlec will be the goal scorer (an absolutely wild guess).

At Saturday Group B kick off their Euro 2012. A group where three of the four teams are able to reach at least the semi-finals. Sorry Denmark, but in this company you are shuttlecocks... The three other teams; Germany, Netherlands and Portugal are all possible contenders to the tournament. But one of them have to go home after the group stage. And that will be Portugal. The team with the biggest star prior Euro 2012, but I don't think that will be enough. Cristiano Ronaldo and the other Portugal stars will be heading home after just three matches in Ukraine. Because the last two teams in this group are my favorites to win the whole thing. I really believe Germany and Netherlands have the two best national teams in Europe at the moment. I won't tell you who I think will win the tournament now, but I can tell you I think it will be one of these two.

When it comes to who I think will be at the top of the group at the end of the group stage I think it will be Netherlands, on goal difference, ahead of Germany. I think they have a slightly stronger offense than their neighbours. Players like Robben, Van Persie, Van der Vart, Sneijder and Huntelaar are all some of the best offensive players in the world. I really do look forward to what they might be capable to do. Germany on the other-hand do in my opinion have a better goalkeeper than the Netherlands do. I think Manuel Neuer is the best goalie in the tournament. Their defense should also be better than Netherlands defense, but as mentioned I think Netherlands offense is slightly stronger, but I might be wrong.

If I am going to predict the outcome of the matches in group B at Saturday I think the Netherlands beat Denmark in a 3-1 victory. And if I'm going to dare to guess who will be the goal scorers I think the unstoppable Van Persie scores two and  Schaars one, while Christian Eriksen will show his talent and score the Denmark goal. In the other match Germany gets an 2-1 victory against Portugal. I guess we'll seen a Philip Lahm goal and a Toni Kroos goal for Germany, and when it comes to Portugal I think the one who can't stop scoring goals, Cristiano Ronaldo, will do it again.

PS! I think we'll find the Euro 2012 top goalscorer in this group.

Going from one group of great football teams to another. In group C we find defending champion Spain together with Italy, Croatia and Ireland. This group starts their tournament at Sunday, and what a start we have ahead of us, Spain vs. Italy! It is a real classic. A match between two of the big nations in European football. A match between the winner in 1964 and 2008 - Spain, and the winner in 1968 and runner-up in 2000 - Italy. A match between Spain, defending World Cup championsl, and Italy - four times winners of the World Cup. A match between La Liga and Serie A. A match between Rome and Madrid. A match between two European football giants.

If I should predict an outcome of this group, my guess is that the two giants, Spain and Italy, will proceed from this group. In my opinion Spain has got the best squad in this group, and if they stay clear of injuries and suspensions it should be something close to a walk in the park for the defending champions. If there is one question mark to this edition of Spain it is who will score their goals? No David Villa, a player that has been scoring lots of goals for Spain the recent years, and Torres hasn't been quite himself the last seasons. Maybe Llorente is the man they have to trust? Anyway I think this can be a bigger concern in later stages of Euro 2012.

In Italy the big topic has been the Scommessopoli, the big betting scandal. Involving famous Italian footballers like Giuseppe Signori, Stefano Mauri, Cristiano Doni and Domenico Criscito with several. Criscito even had to withdraw from the Italian Euro 2012 squad. And the Prime Minister, Mario Monti,  suggested that all football competitions in Italy should be put on hold for at least two years. How this scandal has affected Italy before Euro 2012 will be impossible to know, but Italy has often been at their best after big scandals in Italian football. Based on that, I think Italy will be the second team from this group to qualify to the quarter final. Though it might be with the smallest possible margin, because I think a Luka Modric led Croatia will be a strong contender to Italy. This mean that Croatia will be ready to send Italy home after  just three matches, but I think Italy will stumble past Croatia this time. A Croatian team it might be fun to follow. When it comes to Ireland I'll say: Enjoy, have fun and do your best to give us some great moments.

I will of course give a prediction of game day one in group C too. The opening match is The Clash of the Titans, Spain vs. Italy. And the strongest titan in this match will be Spain. In classical manner Italy is gonna need a match to get the machinery working. I think we'll see a 2-1 victory for Spain this evening in Gdansk. Goal scorers: Ramos and Llorente for Spain and Cassano for Italy. The second match in this group is Ireland vs. Croatia. This might as well be another close encounter, but here Ireland will draw the shortest straw. Another 2-1 victory in group C this evening. Jelavic x 2 for Croatia and Robbie Keane for Ireland.

Group D: England, France, Sweden and the second co-host Ukraine. In my opinion there is one favorite and three outsiders in this group. A exciting French team will go through to the quarter finals. This French team is pure quality in most positions, and they have a great coach in Laurent Blanc. The goalkeeper Hugo Lloris  is one of the top five goalkeepers in this tournament, the defense contains of solid players in all ; Debuchy, Evra, Mexes and Rami. Their midfield looks well balanced, and up front they've got superb players in Benzema and Giroud. The excitement in this group will be about which team will follow France into the quarter finals. My guess is Sweden, a Zlatan led Sweden. Sweden might not have the most exciting squad, but they have Zlatan. And I think he will with his presence take Sweden through this group. That means that a heavily reduced England and co-host Ukraine will have to leave the tournament after just three matches. The absence of Wayne Rooney for the first two matches and with players like Gary Cahill, Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard out of the Euro 2012 because of injuries England reduced too much to be able to progress from group D. Ukraine does of course have big dreams of success at home ground and with the final played in Kiev, but after three even matches for Andriy Shevchenko and his mates I'll say; Close, but no cigar...

At Monday night I think we'll see two even matches. The first one is France vs. England. Frog legs vs. Christmas pudding. Champagne vs. Bitter. Republic vs. Monarchy. You name it. This time I think the monarchists will have to see the frog eaters walk away with the victory. France 1 England 0. Goalscorer Bayern Munich player Franck Ribéry. In the Ukraine vs. Sweden match we'll see a draw. Not a spectacular match we'll see this tournament, but a decent 1-1 match. For Ukraine we'll see a goal from Dynamo Kiev player Olexandr Aliyev, and for Sweden the goal scoring hero will be the one and only Zlatan Ibrahimović.

The predictions for the remaining group stage matches and the quarter-, semi-finals and the final will come in part 2 together with whom I think will become top scorer and the new shooting star.