Euro 2012
18 June 2012 886 comments
Paul Paul
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It’s the penultimate evening of the group stages already and Group C is still far from decided. While Republic of Ireland have nothing but pride to play for against Italy, Cesare Prandelli’s team need the three points to stand any chance of progressing.

A win for Spain against Croatia in the other game would be beneficial to the Italian cause but, as the previous couple of nights have shown, we should take nothing for granted. Both games kick off at 7.45pm this evening and, as always, our Dugout Discussion is up and running.

The team news is in and is as follows:

For Italy, Cesare Prandelli rings the changes for their must-win match. The 3-5-2 system is out, replaced by a 4-3-1-2, while four players are replaced in the starting XI. Ignazio Abate and Federico Balzaretti are handed starting roles at right and left-back respectively, Daniel De Rossi moves back into midfield, while Andrea Barzagli comes in at centre-half. Thiago Motta plays “in the hole” behind a front two, with Antonio Di Natale partnering Antonio Cassano up top – Mario Balotelli, Christian Maggio, Emanuele Giacherrini and Leonardo Bonucci drop out.

Giovanni Trapattoni makes just a single alteration to his side, with Kevin Doyle returning to partner Robbie Keane up front – this means Simon Cox drops to the bench.

Italy Starting XI: Buffon; Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini, Balzaretti; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Motta; Cassano, Di Natale

Republic of Ireland XI: Given; O’Shea, St Ledger, Dunne, Ward; McGeady, Andrews, Whelan, Duff; Keane, Doyle

Defending champions Spain keep faith in the side that hammered Republic of Ireland last time out. Fernando Torres continues to lead the line after his double against Trapattoni’s troops last Thursday, leaving Cesc Fabregas to warm the bench.

Slaven Bilic makes a couple of changes to his side. Croatia look for a little more security and roll out what appears to be a 4-5-1 formation; Nikica Jelavic drops out, as does Ivan Perisic, with Danijel Pranjic and Domagoj Vida handed starting roles against the Spanish.

Spain Starting XI: Casillas; Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Alonso; Silva, Torres, Iniesta

Croatia Starting XI: Pletikosa; Srna, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic; Pranjic, Rakitic, Vida, Vukojevic, Modric; Mandzukic

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886 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. crystalpalaceRus
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    torres off

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    1. RÏɠBY
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      merde

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  2. GunsnRoses
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Torres off and Navas coming on 😐

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  3. Parm
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Torres scrapes 60 minutes!

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  4. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Time for Benzema (c) then

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  5. emperikal
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Silva playing lone striker now?

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  6. crystalpalaceRus
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Take Alba off 😀

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  7. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    If Italy get through I may take Cassano over Benzema and Torres

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    1. HVT
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Cassano off mow as well.... Another 60 min man

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        but at least he'll start, too much off a toss-up between Di Natale and Balo.

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  8. BONZ
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    He stayed on for 60.12 did chelsea's Torres! Shite again.....so ythe armband moves on. and he can get the feck out of the WC team!!

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    1. RÏɠBY
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      haha..

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    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Did he get 60 though? Play had stopped and the board was up at 59...

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      1. BONZ
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        legally you could be right as it states plays 60mins, and he didnt play at all.

        But 60.12 by times he left the pitch so reckon i can bank the 2 points!!

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  9. GunsnRoses
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Silva the target man now. Navas goes to right

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  10. HVT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Why no love for Llorente ?

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    1. Chazza
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      He really must have p*ssed del Bosqué off because no-one would've foreseen 0 minutes of game time for him and counting.

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  11. ManUFan
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    where is fabregas??
    why navas?

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    1. The Milkman
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      It's Jesus innit!

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  12. Elniñorules
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Back to 4-6-0 then

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  13. LOCO ABREU
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    cassano out?

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    1. Dynamic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      What?

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      1. LOCO ABREU
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        cassano out for diamanti

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        1. Dynamic
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          13 years, 5 months ago

          Has he gone off?

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          1. LOCO ABREU
            • 13 Years
            13 years, 5 months ago

            yep

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          2. Gaz Downright
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 15 Years
            13 years, 5 months ago

            static

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  14. emperikal
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Jelly to come on

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  15. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Italy need to stop pissing about and get a second goal.

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    1. Chazza
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      This.

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      1. GunsnRoses
        • 13 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        Your MD1 & MD2 scores are exact of what I had 🙂

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    2. super zlatan
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Agreed. 1 nil always dangerous score line. I'm dying for Spain to go out.

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  16. Atwood
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    How long does a player have to play for to be eligible for a CS?

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    1. Gaz Downright
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      😐

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    2. ★FC Borecelona★
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      60 mins

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    3. leo_messi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      must play at least 60 minutes

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    4. Atwood
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Longshot but do any of you know how long Bonucci's been on? All I know is he's on but I'm guessing he hasn't played for long?

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      1. Gaz Downright
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        the internet knows

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        1. Atwood
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 5 months ago

          I know, that's why I'm using it to ask you!

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          1. Gaz Downright
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 15 Years
            13 years, 5 months ago

            sigh... no he wont get CS

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            1. Atwood
              • 15 Years
              13 years, 5 months ago

              Thanks

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  17. crystalpalaceRus
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    jelly coming on

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  18. BONZ
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    These head to head rules - whats our opinions then ???

    As for me - Group A it worked fairly, but Group C is pants!

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    1. RÏɠBY
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      it makes sense to me.. keeps them honest

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  19. Dynamic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Perisic and Jelly on for Pranjic and Vida

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  20. The Milkman
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Jelly on the plate. Party time!

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  21. HVT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    hopefully croatia score and Spain go out - Just like Russia.

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    1. UKG
      • 15 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      +1000

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    2. RÏɠBY
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      definetly

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  22. UKG
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    2 more rb's please Pirlo.

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    1. RÏɠBY
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      +1

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  23. isacki: full casual
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    What's remarkable is the lack of penalties in this tournament... so far!

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    1. The Milkman
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      True that.

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      1. The Milkman
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        Cue Srna penalty... 🙂

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    2. Chazza
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Yep, referees are being as risk averse as possible.

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    3. Mílanista
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Yes, where is Alonso's.

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    4. RÏɠBY
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      true.. and free kicks that result in goals.. pirlo the only one?

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  24. Chazza
    • 16 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    I have Alba but would like Croatia to really attack Spain here.

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    1. isacki: full casual
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      +1

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    2. The Milkman
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      +2

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  25. Mr Sarcastic
    • 15 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    It's not gonna be 2-2, but fear in rising is 1-1 and italy will go out cos of goal difference 🙁
    Would be own fault really, haven't really tried to win by bigger margin.

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    1. Chazza
      • 16 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Ooh yes, Italy would need another a couple of goals wouldn't they?

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      1. Mr Sarcastic
        • 15 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        yep, 3-1

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    2. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      maybe they will if things change. Possible they know they don't need to.

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      1. Chazza
        • 16 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        If Croatia-Spain finishes 1-1 now I don't see Italy having enough time to score the 2 goals they'd need.

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        1. Mr Sarcastic
          • 15 Years
          13 years, 5 months ago

          no way, and actually I'm feeling more of 1-1 in this italy game too.....

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  26. isacki: full casual
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Schildenfeld just got himself a big transfer.

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  27. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Shildenfeld, what a performance so far

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  28. GunsnRoses
    • 13 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Captain Pirlo ... 😐

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  29. leo_messi
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Spain play dreadful right now...

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  30. Declan-
    • 14 Years
    13 years, 5 months ago

    Has there ever been worse transfers than this? Ronaldo(10), Fabregas(0) and Maniatis(6) -> Torres(2), Blaszycowski(1) and Badstuber(3).

    Atleast it's only the euros.

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    1. Dynamic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      13 years, 5 months ago

      Fabregas coming on now, could get worse.

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      1. Declan-
        • 14 Years
        13 years, 5 months ago

        tell me about it 😥

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