Monday, 4 June 2012

Final warm-ups for Euro 2012 trio World Soccer Shop




Ukraine meet Turkey in a Euro 2012 warm-up match in Ingolstadt on Tuesday, France host Estonia in Le Mans and Sweden face Serbia in Stockholm.





Shevchenko: Gearing up for Euro 2012


Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko believes the national team can go all the way to the final of Euro 2012 as they prepare for their last game before the tournament kicks off.


The 35-year-old has 107 international caps and is arguably the most well-known Ukrainian footballer of all time.


The final of the European Championships will be held at Kiev's Olympic Stadium on July 1, and Shevchenko reckons Oleh Blokhin's side can get there.


"If we show our quality and have a bit of luck, we can reach the final," he said. "I understand that will be extremely difficult, but you only get one chance to make history."


The former AC Milan and Chelsea forward revealed the thought of participating in a major European competition on home soil has kept him playing for longer than he expected - even if he now knows his own limitations.


He said: "For the last five years, I've hardly thought about anything but the European Championships that will be held in my country. It's fair to say this has extended my career. It's my dream.


"I need more time for rehabilitation. That's natural. If I'm not completely fit, I don't want to play and let down the fans. I want to do what's best for the side."


Turkey v Ukraine kicks off at 7pm BST at the Audi Sportpark in Ingolstadt.


France face Estonia in their final match before they open their tournament against England next Monday, but former Les Bleus star Christophe Dugarry believes manager and former team-mate Laurent Blanc has his work cut out to achieve success in Poland and Ukraine.


"Today picking the France team is still very complicated," the Euro 2000 winner told L'Equipe. "When you see who is absent, the players who had an average season and those few who have had a good season and are 100% mentally and physically - if there are 10, that is the maximum.


"Laurent Blanc, is a coach, not a magician - he does what he can."


Kick-off at the MMArena in Le Mans is at 8pm BST.


Meanwhile, France's Group D opponents Sweden host Serbia in their final warm-up game and head coach Erik Hamren has claimed a number of his squad are struggling with fatigue.


"Swedish football should stop and think if what they are doing is the right thing," he said.


"And if this is the way you want to run things, then you are giving your players very little chance to win. This, for me as national-team coach, is unacceptable."


Sweden's national league runs between March and November and therefore will take a break for the duration of the Championships.


Their talismanic captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic has claimed winning the tournament would eclipse anything he achieves with club side AC Milan.


He said: "For me, perhaps, winning the European Championship would be of more value than all the titles I have won to date."


"Winning with one's own country is special. It is an honour to play for one's national team. It would be fantastic to win with this shirt and then return home to celebrate with the fans."


Kick-off at the Rasunda Stadium is at 6pm BST.


Elsewhere, Austria host Romania and Kazakhstan travel to Armenia.




Source : http://soccer365.com//news/european_news/general/17758/final_warm_ups_for_euro_2012_trio

No comments:

Post a Comment