07.06.2008 10:46
Euro 2008 gets under way
Jordi Clos
The European Championship starts on Saturday with Switzerland facing the Czech Republic. Eight Barça players are involved in the tournament.
Switzerland and Austria are the hosts for what promises to be a fascinating championship, with the
opening game on Saturday at 18.00. After Switzerland have faced the Czechs, the evening game sees
Deco’s Portugal taking on Turkey, the first of many games with Barcelona interest.
Germany favourites in Group B
This is the only group with no Barça presence, where Germany are the most fancied of the four
teams, but the young Croatian side are always a threat after putting England out of the
competition, while Poland have plenty of experience and Austria have home advantage.
The group of death
Group C is the most attractive, with France, Italy, Holland and Romania involved. The French
have three Barça players in Thuram, Abidal and Henry, who in the last game of the group stage will
be facing the side they met in the last World Cup final.
Familiar faces for Spain
Spain also have three Barça players in their ranks after Luis Aragonés picked all of Puyol,
Xavi and Iniesta, who will be hoping to end the curse of the quarter finals, when the side so
typically goes out of major competitions. They meet Sweden again, after already meeting in the
qualifying stages, while they were also paired with Greece and Russia at the last European
Championship.